The Lost Brother
by mckeown
Summary: When the Arashikage clan was destroyed he was forgotten. While Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow fought their feud he was thought dead. But he lives and when they find him will they be reconciled or forever torn apart? Sequel: Brothers United posted. 13,000 HITS!
1. Chapter 1

Storm Shadow angrily stormed down the hallway. He had just left the training center where Cobra Commander's new batch of recruits for the Red Ninja program, were lying on the ground. They had been a pathetic lot, failing each one of his tests, as they had been nothing more than ninja-wanna-bes. After Mindbender erased their minds they would be returned to their homes, he had been guaranteed this.

Storm Shadow entered his room and quickly sat down in order to go through a few calming techniques before reporting to Cobra Commander. If he was allowed to pick the recruits the Red Ninja program might actually amount to something but no, Cobra Commander had to do it himself. Already Storm Shadow had gone through three lists of potential recruits over the past five days and none of them had displayed the 'heart of a ninja'. It was ridiculous!

Walking into Cobra Commander's throne room, Storm Shadow paused a moment to reflect that one of the few things he didn't like about Cobra Commander was his need to show off his wealth with such an extravagant display as the throne room was.

"Ah, Storm Shadow," the whiny voice of Cobra Commander managed, as always, to butcher the s sounds in the ninja name. "How goes the ninja recruitment process today?"

Storm Shadow prepared himself for one of Cobra Commander's famous tantrum explosions. "None of the men you sent me showed any signs of promise, master."

"What?" Storm Shadow focused his attention on the cobra signal behind Cobra Commander's throne as did his best to tune out the commander's voice which was hard to do as it had reached a high irritating volume, one not easily ignored. Storm Shadow focused on Cobra Commander again when he heard, "…this is beginning to look like a complete waste of time just as Destro said it would be!" Storm Shadow's frowned beneath his mask at this but kept silent, no one could reason with Cobra Commander when he was like this. "…Go on get out of my sight!"

Realizing he had missed whatever had been said between, Storm Shadow bowed and left the throne room, walking back to his room where he knew he could rest without being watched.

Once back in his room Storm Shadow turned on the TV, flipping through the news channels and noted that the increase of crime rate was up more than it had been last week. He settled on 21 News as the reporters covered a bank robbery. So much crime in the world, so much strife and Cobra only added to it.

Storm Shadow focused on the TV as he heard the reporter say, "As has been the usual case with this particular burglar's habits, nothing of the crime was caught on tape but the Star-burglar, as he has been dubbed by police, left his calling card on the inside of the vault door." The camera view changed to show the vault door and the detailed drawing of a three-point throwing star. Storm Shadow sat forward; _a ninja was the thief_? He paused the screen and studied the drawing, his eyes going wide as he recognized it.

"It can't be…" he whispered before his voice went to faint for he even his own ears to hear. He had not seen that design for many years, neither he nor Snake Eyes he was sure had thought of the artist since that bitter day the Hard Master had been killed.


	2. Chapter 2

_Just five weeks after the boy who had chosen the name Snake Eyes had come to his father's training dojo, another orphan had found his way to his father's doorstop. But this orphan could not ring the bell for he was only three years old and Storm Shadow was the one who found him in the early morning when he was on his way out. _

_The child was wrapped in several blankets and lying fast asleep, shivering slightly from the cold wind. Storm Shadow was at first disgusted when he saw that the child was not Japanese but just then the child woke up and the light green eyes looked up at Storm Shadow. Without hesitation the child had raised his arms towards the boy, imploring him silently to be picked up and Storm Shadow felt a strange emotion as the child looked at him with complete trust. _

_Storm Shadow had picked up the child and held him protectively as he took him inside to show him to his father. His father, the Hard Master, had not hesitated in saying that they would adopt the child into their family as they had Snake Eyes. Snake Eyes had wanted to get a closer look at the little boy and Storm Shadow had grudgingly allowed him to while their father had thought of a name for the newest member of their family._

"_He will be called Fire Storm," Hard Master said._

_In time Storm Shadow saw how well the name fit his new brother for besides his red hair, Fire Storm's green eyes could become thunderous when he lost his temper. _

_Growing up, Fire Storm was closer to Storm Shadow and obeyed him the best although he showed a great deal of respect to the Hard Master and loved to prank to Snake Eyes. _

Storm Shadow closed his eyes as he thought of his little brother. He had been swallowed up by so much hate and anger at his father's death and with the destruction of the Arashikage clan he had always assumed that Fire Storm had died amongst the flames. Too consumed by pursuing vengeance on Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow had not searched the ruins of their home for his little brother.

Now it seemed his little brother was alive and living the life of a criminal.

Storm Shadow stared at the symbol on the screen. The ninja star was surrounded by green fire, Fire Storm's symbol.

Storm Shadow knew his own life was far from perfect but he could not, would not, allow his little brother to continue being a thief. Nor, Storm Shadow reflected, could he offer Fire Storm a home in Cobra. The only other solution was to contact Snake Eyes on securing a solution but Storm Shadow was very loath to do it even if it was the only way.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: What, only one review? That's hurtful.**

"Talking"

'_Sign language_'

_Thoughts_

–––––––––––––––––

The sword with the Arashikage flag was sticking out the ground and Storm Shadow sat next to it, patiently waiting for his sword-brother to appear. He hadn't seen Snake Eyes since last year, when Cobra Commander had a 'brilliant' plan that backfired but during it the ninja had had a confrontation where once again Snake Eyes had gotten the upper hand and refused to deliver the final blow.

The evening wind rustled through the trees and Snake Eyes appeared at the edge of the clearing. Without hesitation Snake Eyes crossed the space between him and Storm Shadow and sat cross-legged before his sword-brother, the sword between them.

"Snake Eyes," Storm Shadow began, "since our confrontation last year I have come to see that I was wrong. The betrayer of our clan and murderer of our father was not you. Yet, I am too deeply entrenched in Cobra to pull away. I know I cannot simply ask you to forgive me for all the times I've tried to kill you and be brothers as we were before but there is something that both of us need to work together on." Snake Eyes nodded that he was listening and Storm Shadow tossed the piece of paper to him. "Fire Storm is alive."

Snake Eyes studied the paper; on it was the photo of Fire Storm's symbol that he had left on the bank vault. '_Where did you get this_?' Snake Eyes signed.

"A bank was robbed in New York last night, one of seven banks robbed over the last eighteen months. Each vault had this symbol on it. Only members of the Arashikage clan knew this symbol was Fire Storm's and only you and I knew how he much he loved to draw it. Every prank he pulled on you had this symbol as leaving his calling card was the only thing father could not cure him of."

'_He always did love it when he could pull something off and he would leave his symbol as a testament that it was him_.' Snake Eyes sighed, '_Pride was ever his greatest failing. Even you could not get him to behave when he felt like pulling a daredevil stunt, just to say he did it_.' Snake Eyes stared at the photo, '_Now our little brother is a thief_.'

"Yes," Storm Shadow agreed although Snake Eyes' statement hadn't needed it. "It has been ten years since the fall of the Arashikage clan, brother. After I lost you in the mountains I came back to search the village but found no trace of Fire Storm and so believed he was buried deep in the rubble. During the two days we were being idiots and accusing each other of our father's death something happened to Fire Storm because had he been conscious he would have followed us."

'_Supposing he was knocked unconscious by a falling beam and so when he came to we were both gone, can you imagine what his frame of mind would be? Fire Storm was only twelve when our father was killed and with our home burning around him he only thing he could assume was that we were dead as well, otherwise we would have found him_.'

"But still, for him to have left the ruins of our home there must have been someone else there. Either a member of the Arashikage found him or the Cobra troops who destroyed our home took him."

'_You believe it was the Cobra troops who took him_?'

"Yes. Something had to have happened to Fire Storm to turn him into a thief. If a member of the Arashikage had found him then they would have fled to the cave where I found survivors on my return. Even Fire Storm knew to go there if our fortress was compromised. Since Fire Storm didn't go there and none of the ninja I found in the cave had seen him, then the Cobra troops must have taken him. From that point we can only imagine how his life spiraled."

'_To find him we must study all of his previous movements in order to predict his next one. It will not be easy when we confront him. We have believed him dead, as he no doubt has believed us dead. I remember Fire Storm was easily ruled by emotions although he could think clearly enough to get out of a situation_.'

"Just say it Snake Eyes," Storm Shadow said, knowing there was something further Snake Eyes wanted to say.

Snake Eyes huffed. '_We do not know how many of the past ten years he has been living as a thief. We do not what his lifestyle has been or how he was treated by the Cobra troops. Fire Storm could be a good friend to those who treated him fairly, but to those who he perceived treated him wrongly he could be a bad enemy. We know nothing, Storm Shadow, about his frame of mind_.'

"You're afraid he will not be friendly on our reunion?" Snake Eyes didn't answer but he didn't have too as Storm Shadow knew the answer. "Then it is imperative that we find him as soon as possible."

'_I agree_,' Snake Eyes said. '_I will take an extended leave from HQ and let Jinx train my apprentices while I am away_.'

"You're not telling them? Are you not afraid they'll follow you as they did the last time when you sent them the wrong way in order to face me alone?"

'_They have to learn to trust me and besides,_' Snake Eyes stood up as Storm Shadow did as well, '_this does not concern them_.'

"You are correct but try getting them to see that. Your apprentices are stubbornly annoying and disobedient, Snake Eyes, I do not envy you in the slightest."

Snake Eyes huffed, his body stance showing how offended he was at the comment but Storm Shadow merely smirked as he turned away to leave. Snake Eyes also turned to head back the way he had come and the sword with the Arashikage flag was left in the ground, a sign that as long as it remained there the two sword-brothers were working together.


	4. Chapter 4

Snake Eyes surveyed his apprentices, Kamakura and Tiger Claw, as they stood before him. Technically Kamakura had already finished his apprenticeship but the young man had argued that which he was a ninja he was no where as good as Snake Eyes. Plus there was the fact that Kamakura always referred to Snake Eyes as sensei, even when Tiger Claw became Snake Eyes' apprentice. Snake Eyes hadn't corrected Kamakura as he was technically still teaching the young ninja, even if it was on a more advanced plane then with Tiger Claw.

"At least tell us where you're going?" Kamakura asked yet again. Out of the three of them, Kamakura was the most annoying when it came to not minding his own business, although Jinx and Tiger Claw could be just as bad when they wanted to be. Kamakura's main problem was trust.

'_I have told you all that you need to know_,' Snake Eyes quickly signed.

"Not wishing to be disrespectful, sensei," Tiger Claw cut in, "but you haven't exactly told us anything about where you're going or what you're doing."

'_I have gone on many missions by myself, apprentice_,' Snake Eyes assured them. '_This mission is top-secret and information can only be given on a need-to-know basis, you do not have need-to-know clearance.' _

"But on your other missions you could always give an estimate on when you would come back," Kamakura persisted. "You can't even give us that!"

"Face it, Snake Eyes," Jinx finally spoke her piece, "they won't leave you alone until you give them something."

Jinx was also curious as to where Snake Eyes was going and to what his mission entailed but she, unlike the two young men, had more trust in Snake Eyes' ability to handle himself.

Snake Eyes huffed he was wasting time. '_I am going on a mission of grave importance that requires me to leave as soon as possible. I do not have time to explain things to you two distrustful delinquents!_'

Kamakura and Tiger Claw quickly bowed before their sensei whose body language and words told them he was getting angry at their pestering. Unusual as it was for Snake Eyes to lose his cool, when he was mad it was really unwise to cross him.

"Sorry sensei!"

'_Jinx will train you in the ways the Blind Master taught her while I am gone, you will obey her as I expect her to give me a full report on you on my return_.'

"Yes, sensei!" they both said and Snake Eyes quitted the training room, knowing he would remember their looks of terror for years to come.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Thanks for the reviews! Keep hitting the review button please and if you have any ideas please state them and I'll consider them**

Snake Eyes was not surprised when he entered the apartment to find Storm Shadow already there. The Young Master was wearing casual clothes as he lay on one of the beds, looking like he was about to take a nap. Snake Eyes, dressed in civilian clothes as well, had make-up on his face to cover the scars and he immediately headed to the bathroom to wash it off and to pull on one of his temporary masks.

"I thought you'd never get here, brother," Storm Shadow said as he got up lazily from the bed and headed to the bathroom to watch Snake Eyes. Snake Eyes immediately closed the door and locked it. "I've only seen you once without your mask since the accident, Snake Eyes, and I say the scars are an improvement to your ugly face." The door didn't open and Storm Shadow could hear running water and a washcloth being rinsed off. "You know, laundry maids really hate it when they have wash make-up off of towels and such."

Storm Shadow heard an irritated huff of breath from inside the bathroom and grinned as he headed to a table in the corner. Perhaps instead of physically fighting Snake Eyes all these years he should have been irritating him to death. On the table Snake Eyes rolled out a map of the eastern side of the U.S. and, using a piece of paper with locations written on it, he began marking certain cities.

Snake Eyes emerged from the bathroom with a ski mask over his face, leaving his blue eyes visible with a scar going up between them.

Storm Shadow pointed to the map. "While I waited for you I made a list of all the banks that the 'Star-burglar' has robbed and when they were robbed, now let's see if there is a pattern."

Between them Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow marked various cities with the dates their little brother had robbed a bank there and when they were done they stepped back to look at the map as a whole. Storm Shadow couldn't see any pattern right away but Snake Eyes took a marker and began drawing a line, starting with the first bank Fire Storm had robbed and ending with the most recent. Storm Shadow grinned, "You're a genius."

There on the map was the pattern of Fire Storm's symbol and only three banks were left for it to be completed.

Storm Shadow pointed to what had to be the next bank in line for Fire Storm to hit. "That's where he'll go next and that's where we have to stop him."

Snake Eyes nodded. '_How do you propose we do that_?'

"It will not be easy," Storm Shadow said, crossing his arms as he knitted his eyebrows. "I have thought about what you said, or rather signed, the last time we met and I realized unhappily that you were correct. Despite the fact that I was Fire Storm's favorite even I might have a hard time getting him to listen to me. We knew him as a boy but now he is almost a man and we do not know what guidance he had to get him through those difficult teenage years, you remember those right?" Snake Eyes didn't sign anything but his stance spoke enough. "We had the Hard Master to help us, but who did he have?"

Looking at the map Storm Shadow sighed. "We know his next move and it will not be difficult getting there. I suppose we'll have to play the rest by ear."

Snake Eyes glared at Storm Shadow and moved his hands. '_Play by ear_? _Seriously_?'

"Snake Eyes," Storm Shadow smiled, "you of all people know that I do things best when I do them by ear."

Snake Eyes drew in a breath and slowly let it out. Without a word to Storm Shadow, Snake Eyes plopped down on a bed to go to sleep for a few hours before they had to move out. Storm Shadow grinned before he returned his attention to the map and the grin fell away from his face. Fire Storm, his little brother, was out there robbing banks which was not something the Hard Master had taught his children. What had happened to Fire Storm? Who had corrupted his little brother?


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Ta-DA! Fire Storm's entrance has finally arrived! Oops, I gave it away, you guys knew it was coming anyway.**

**To blackrose: I hope this update gets to you before you imploded, although I strongly caution you to be patient for I wouldn't want you to implode. If you did I would lose a reviewer and implosion is kinda painful and messy. Also, I thought about your idea but my character, Fire Storm, has a lot of emotional problems and has suffered severe trauma of the worst kind. He wouldn't take anyone under his wing and teach them or if he did he would only teach them the basics and then leave them, he wouldn't let them hang around him. Thanks anyway and I hope you enjoy. **

Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow gazed at the First National Bank as nighttime fell over the city. The only thing in the robberies Fire Storm had not been consistent about was the time in which he struck the bank although he did keep it within 6:30 pm to 5:00 am. Without being able to pinpoint the exact time Fire Storm would arrive, the two older ninja arrived at an adjoining building off of the bank around 5:30 pm and realized they were not the only ones on the roof.

Hidden behind the wall overlooking the square were snipers with the letters FBI stamped to their jackets. Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow assessed the situation as they melted into the rapidly increasing shadow areas. The Federal Bureau of Investigation had figured out where Fire Storm would strike next and had laid a trap for him. There was probably nothing worth stealing in the bank now that the FBI was crawling all over the place.

'_We need to find Fire Storm before this situation gets out of hand_,' Snake Eyes signed.

'_It has already gotten out of hand_,' Storm Shadow signed back, not trusting his voice to whisper low enough so that the FBI agents wouldn't hear. '_This was a simple op. where we go in, reunite with our brother, and turn his life around. Now we've got federal agents where we don't want them and because you're a member of G.I. Joe you can't attack them_.'

Snake Eyes sighed. '_My first allegiance is to my family, that has never changed_.'

Storm Shadow shook his head, '_Do not forfeit you life with G.I. Joe, Snake Eyes. I will handle the FBI if they get in our way_.'

The two ninjas jumped off the roof just as one of the FBI snipers looked behind him, thinking he had felt like he was being watched.

With the presence of the FBI Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow had to reassess their ideas on how Fire Storm would approach the bank. Then Storm Shadow laughed as he realized the presence of the FBI would actually help the ninjas pinpoint their brother's line of entry easier.

"Think about it, Snake Eyes," Storm Shadow whispered as they crouched behind a dumpster. "The Hard Master raised all of us with the same teachings, so what was his lesson on targets?"

'_To always watch your intended target a couple of days ahead of when you planned to carry out your mission so that you would know any patterns and be able to detect if something was amiss_.'

"Exactly," Storm Shadow was triumphant. "Fire Storm has obviously watched this place before to night and he knows the FBI is here but that will not deter him from coming here."

'_He used to love challenges, especially the ones where he knew he was expected because that made him push himself more to succeed_.'

"Yes," Storm Shadow agreed. "I believe Fire Storm will do his best to get in the bank and get out right under the federal agents' noses. Even if there is nothing for him to steal he will still leave his sign for them to find to let them know he made it through."

'_Assuming that has not changed in him since he was younger what are the possible routes for him to take_?'

"There is only one," Storm Shadow looked down and Snake Eyes clicked his tongue in annoyance. "The sewer goes right under the bank." Storm Shadow popped the manhole cover off and looked at Snake Eyes, "I hope you brought a breathing mask."

Snake Eyes pulled one out as Storm Shadow followed suite and the two ninjas jumped into the sewer.

Even with the breathing masks, Snake Eyes could still smell the rottenness of the sewer and cringed from the idea of having to wash the odor from his clothes.

Following Storm Shadow, who had a map of the sewer tunnels on his gauntlet, Snake Eyes wondered if they would succeed in turning their little brother away from his life of crime. Storm Shadow brought up a hand and Snake Eyes froze, both ninjas listened intently and Snake Eyes finally heard what Storm Shadow's more powerful ears had heard. Light footsteps sprinted down a sewer tunnel in their direction and the two ninjas stood straight, side-by-side with their arms folded over their chest.

Around the bend came a blush-gray clad ninja with red stripes along his tunic, a black mask covering his face, and he skidded to a stop ten feet away from the other two ninjas. As neither Snake Eyes nor Storm Shadow had a weapon drawn the new ninja didn't draw one either but his whole stance was tense, ready to slip into battle as soon as necessary.

"Who are you?" the ninja demanded and Storm Shadow removed his mask.

"Hello brother," Storm Shadow said and Fire Storm gasped. "It has been a long time."

"Storm Shadow?" Fire Storm's voice had changed much from when they had last heard it. His voice had gone through its changes and was deeper but there was also a strain on Fire Storm's voice as if his vocal chords had suffered damage.

"Yes, Fire Storm, it is I," Storm Shadow smiled, portraying calmness that he did not really feel. "Snake Eyes in beside me and may I say for both of us we are glad to see you again."


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Seriously, the review button is not that hard to push.**

**to blackrose: When I asked for ideas I meant favorite g.i. joe characters you want to see, or maybe fight scenes between certain characters and so on. I basically have Fire Storm's back story all set, just not written down, enjoy!**

Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes watched their younger brother as the realization that they were actually standing before him started to sink in.

"If that is Snake Eyes," Fire Storm said at last, "why does he not remove his mask?"

'_Do you understand A-S-L_?' Snake Eyes asked.

"What?" Fire Storm said and Storm Shadow looked at Snake Eyes, signaling him that he would do the talking.

"Snake Eyes was in an accident several years ago that scarred his face and robbed him of his voice. He cannot speak anymore, which is a relief in a way because do you remember how annoying his voice was?" Storm Shadow inserted the humor, remembering Fire Storm had always liked how he could make any tense situation light with his humor.

Snake Eyes removed his mask, letting his younger brother see the scars that adorned his face before he donned it again.

Fire Storm bowed his head slightly to Snake Eyes, "I am sorry brother that you can no longer talk although, as Storm Shadow pointed out, I did find your voice annoying at times."

While the three had talked they had unconsciously moved forward till Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow were an arm's length from their brother and Fire Storm reached out to them with his hands, which they grasped firmly.

"I thought you were dead, brothers," Fire Storm whispered, emotion building in his voice. "I thought the Cobra troops had killed you. I thought I was alone."

Storm Shadow shook his head. "We thought you were dead as well, Fire Storm. There is so much we need to talk about, so much that we need to tell you but we cannot do it here."

"I agree," Fire Storm released their hands, "where should we meet?"

Storm Shadow shook his head. "We're leaving together, brother, and right now."

Fire Storm drew back. "No, I came here to do a job and I'm going to do it. I'll meet you outside after I have fooled those FBI agents."

"No, Fire Storm," Storm Shadow stepped forward. "I do not know the circumstances as to why you have become a criminal but it stops here. There is no reason for you to carry on like this, we have found each other now, leave this life behind you right here."

Fire Storm's right hand went up to grasp his sword hilt as he fell into a crouch. "What right do you have to order me around? Do you think that after leaving me for dead and not thinking of me over the past ten years that you can simply come back into my life and order me around? Think again! I'm going to that bank and whether or not there's anything in there I'm going to leave my symbol so we can have this family reunion later!"

Snake Eyes, who had been waiting for this outburst, drew his sword as Storm Shadow found himself once again, as he had in the past, trying to calm his little brother down.

"Don't be a fool, Fire Storm, it is pointless to try to reach that bank. Remember what our father taught you? You don't have to show off to anyone. We know you're good, you know you're good, isn't that enough?"

Fire Storm drew his sword and held it ready in front of him. "Don't talk to me as though I'm a child, Storm Shadow! Everyone has beaten me down since the Arashikage clan's downfall and I won't be hurt again, not even by you!"

Snake Eyes saw the throwing stars before Storm Shadow did and quickly jumped forward to push his brother out of the way and block the stars path. Fire Storm used this distraction to leap forward, his blade twanged off of Snake Eyes' as he sailed over him and landed behind the other two ninjas. Sheathing his sword, Fire Storm raced for manhole, which would take him out beside the bank.

"NO!" Storm Shadow shouted as he and Snake Eyes followed in pursuit of their brother. Fire Storm took no heed of them and quickly climbed the ladder, popped the cover and jumped up into the street.

Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes followed right behind and stepped out into a war zone as snipers from the roofs opened fire on them. The swords of Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes were strong enough to cut through the bullets before they hit their targets and with Storm Shadow's excellent hearing he could easily dodge the projectiles. But Fire Storm had neither his brothers' well-crafted swords nor their training and so while he was busy running to the bank a bullet smashed into his right shoulder.

At Fire Storm's cry Snake Eyes covered Storm Shadow so that he could grab their wayward brother and the three of them disappeared into the sewer again.

* * *

><p>Elsewhere, three ninjas were sitting in the rec room watching the news during their break period from training. The news station just switched topics when a bulletin alert came in warning the New York state of three heavily armed bank robbery suspects who would most likely be fleeing the state within the next twenty-four hours and that one of them was wounded. The three ninjas froze as a picture of the bank robbers came on the screen. There before the bank were three ninjas; one was covering while two others fled to a manhole.<p>

"That's sensei!" Tiger Claw blurted out.

"With Storm Shadow!" Kamakura pointed. "Who's the other one?"

"Calm down," Jinx stood up and headed for the door. "I'm going to report this to the general, you two stay right here and don't even think about leaving the base."

––––––

In the Cobra Base:

Cobra Commander stared at the picture that Destro had given him. "That's Storm Shadow," his nasally annoying voice screamed. "What is my bodyguard doing with Snake Eyes and being accused of robbing a bank? I didn't send him to rob a bank! I've got plenty of money right now, why would I want a bank robbed? Who's that he's supporting?"

"From what I can tell of the image and height of the person I would assume it's Kamakura," Destro said while Baroness leaned over the Commander's shoulder in order to see better. "It appears your ninja has defected."

"Defected?" Cobra Commander screamed, making Baroness jump back. "How dare he defect! I didn't say he could!"

"If he is defecting," Zartan interjected, "then why is he robbing a bank?"

"Wait," said Baroness, finally speaking, "perhaps he has not defected but is instead bound by his ninja-voodoo-honor thing to help Snake Eyes and Kamakura. He has done that several times in the past."

"Then why is G.I. Joe robbing banks?" Cobra Commander asked at an incredibly high volume.

"I'd wager," said Bludd from the doorway, "that the whole thing has been completely misinterpreted by the news and government. They are really good at doing that you know?"

"Somebody had better find out what is going on and they had better find out soon!" Cobra Commander yelled, and when he was done there was not a single person in his office.


	8. Chapter 8

**To blackrose: a fight between Fire Storm and Storm Shadow? You got it just not this chapter, enjoy!**

Fire Storm awoke to the sun shining in his face and blinked his eyes several times before he could see clearly. He was lying in a bed in a small room and though there was a fireplace it was not in use. Where was he? By the look of the walls he was in some sort of cabin but where? Just as Fire Storm started to sit up the door to his room opened and Storm Shadow entered.

"Stay still, brother," Storm Shadow quickly made his way over to Fire Storm. "Your wound is not yet fully healed, you should not be moving too quickly after receiving a bullet."

"Are you still trying to order me around?" Fire Storm growled as he ignored his brother's words and instantly regretted it as he jostled his wound when he tried to sit up.

"Are you still going to behave like a child?" Storm Shadow bent down to check the dressing on the wound and when Fire Storm tried to bat his hands away the older ninja was quicker to slap them. "Stop that!" Checking under the bandages Storm Shadow ascertained that the wound had remained sealed from when Snake Eyes had seared it together with a heated knife. "You were lucky, Fire Storm. Your foolish stunt could have gotten you killed or you could have been hit very fatally. If you want us to treat you as an adult than start acting like one and make some rational decisions."

Snake Eyes appeared in the doorway as Storm Shadow was speaking and leaned against the doorframe as the oldest of the three ninjas continued talking.

"Rational decisions?" Fire Storm sat up and ignored the pain in his right shoulder. "How dare you! How dare you two come back in my life and mess up everything! How dare you blame me for this!" he gestured to his wound. "If you hadn't shown up I wouldn't have had to go out that manhole! I had it all planned! But no, you just had to show up and expect me to be so happy to see you that I'd just forget the whole thing! You don't know me, Storm Shadow! You don't know what happened to me when our clan fell! You don't know what my mind and body have been forced to endure!"

"Then why don't you tell us," Storm Shadow was calm on the outside but he could feel his insides twisting into knots. "Tell us, Fire Storm, what great torments you have endured for the past ten years."

Storm Shadow was mocking Fire Storm and he knew it but it was necessary in order to get a rise out of Fire Storm. His brother had never been able to hold his tongue when he was mad.

Fire Storm hesitated before removing his mask and the other two ninjas gasped when they saw the cobra symbol tattoos on each of his cheeks and the hollow look in his red-rimmed green eyes, eyes that spoke of the horror they had witnessed over the past years. Fire Storm still had his red hair but while most of it was cropped short there were some parts that had been grown long enough to make small braids out of. This was their little brother.

"When our clan was attacked I tried to find you but a beam fell and hit my head, knocking me out," Storm Shadow raised an eyebrow at how calmly Fire Storm was narrating his story, he hadn't been expecting that. "I woke to the sight of our fortress burning and the troops of Cobra sifting through the rubble looking for survivors. I tried to move without alerting them of my presence but my head was still aching from the blow and my vision was blurry. Three troopers found me and hauled me to my feet. My hands were cuffed behind me before I knew it and they led me away. There were other captives as well and we were all brought before Cobra Commander. I was filled with dread when I saw him for I thought him frightening but his voice chased my fears away, I almost laughed. He selected a few of the captives who 'seemed to have potential' and the rest of us were handed over to the ones who found us as trophies. The three troopers who had found me made me march beside them on our way back to the Cobra base. I had to carry their packs or whatever else they wanted all the while having my ankles and wrists chained. I thought you two were dead. I already knew father was dead for I had seen his body and so I thought I had nothing to live for. I didn't try to escape right away for I was grieving for you and stunned at how my life had spiraled down.

**AN: Warning the following content should probably be labeled stronger than T**

Fire Storm licked his lips, his nervousness increasing, "When we arrived at the base I was chained in the troopers' barracks. My job was to polish my three masters' boots, clean their clothes, and make their beds and whatever else they needed done. I thought that was all but apparently," Fire Storm choked on his words but neither of the other two gave him comfort. "They beat me whenever my work didn't measure up to their expectations. They gave me these tattoos as a demeaning sign of what I was to them. They…" Fire Storm broke off and looked at his brothers, the tears started falling from his eyes before he started his next sentence. "Where were you? Where were you when they beat me? Where were you when they used me for their sick twisted fun?" Here Fire Storm's voice rose above shaking and became angry. "Where were you when they tore me apart? Where were you when they took away everything I valued?" Fire Storm was struggling to rise out of the bed as he was speaking and Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow watched his pitiful attempts. "Week in and week out they brutalized me! I had no rest neither night nor day! I killed them! First chance I got I killed them and escaped! But what happened then? I ran to a city where a gang found me and took me in. I thought they would care for me but I was wrong. They were just like the troopers only they taught me how to steal and I was punished when I failed. I broke away from them as soon as I was able and killed any of them who came after me. They may have treated me like dirt but they taught me a lot about the underworld and as soon as I knew how to get jobs I raked them in. I became the Star-burglar, hitting one country after another." During this part Snake Eyes had disappeared and then returned with a cup of tea, which he held ready to offer it to his younger brother. "That's what I was doing when you found me. I was hitting banks for an employer who wanted to see how many banks I could hit without getting caught. That's my story."

**AN: All clear**

Snake Eyes handed the tea to Fire Storm and he raised an eyebrow at it as he took the cup. Yeah, a cup of tea would soothe him enough to be able to deal with whatever Storm Shadow threw his way. Fire Storm downed the tea and Snake Eyes quickly caught the cup as his brother dropped it. Fire Storm swayed on the bed and Storm Shadow stepped forward to force his body to lie down.

"I'll kill…you," Fire Storm managed to say before he fell asleep.

Snake Eyes placed the cup on the dresser and looked at Storm Shadow. '_Now what_?'

"Now, I kill Cobra Commander." Storm Shadow headed for the door but Snake Eyes was in front of him, waving his hands and pointing to the bed where their sleeping brother lay. "Fine, I'll stay here to make sure he doesn't kill you when he wakes up."

'_You told me to spike the tea_,' Snake Eyes pointed out.

"Yeah, but notice I didn't give it to him," Storm Shadow grinned as he walked out. "He'll be out for a couple of hours, want to help me destroy something?"

The two ninjas left the room and Fire Storm slept away in the healing sleep his brothers had sent him into.


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: We take a slight break from the brothers to fill you in on what's happening else where**

Jinx watched the general stare at the photo of America's current most wanted criminals.

"There is no doubt of it Jinx," Hawk said, laying the photo down on his desk. "It is Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow in the photo but I have no idea who the other one is."

"Sir, before he left, Snake Eyes said he was going on a top classified mission. I was wondering if you could tell me where he was sent."

Hawk shook his head. "I don't know what you're talking about, Jinx. Snake Eyes requested an indefinite amount of leave in order to attend to some family business. He isn't on a G.I. Joe sanctioned mission. Snake Eyes is on his own and that family business is obviously dealing with Storm Shadow and this other unknown ninja who were going to rob a bank."

"Do you think Snake Eyes found out cobra was sending those two ninjas to rob banks?" Jinx asked, now more disturbed than ever.

"I don't know Jinx, our own intelligence hasn't picked up anything of the kind. Perhaps this is something different. I notified the government that Snake Eyes is one of ours and I listed him as being undercover. Hopefully the agents will keep that in mind the next time they spot Snake Eyes."

Jinx smiled, "They won't find Snake Eyes, sir. Whenever his cover is blown Snake Eyes always goes to one of three places to lay low before venturing out again. I request permission to take Kamakura and Tiger Claw to check those places."

"You don't think Snake Eyes will be able to come back here on his own?"

"No sir, I don't."

"You have my permission then, Jinx. Bring him home."

Jinx saluted and quit the office. She was not surprised to find Kamakura and Tiger Claw already packed and so, once she was packed, the three of them left the G.I. Joe base to find their wayward sensei.

Cobra Commander stared at Destro who had just brought him the latest intelligence report. "Snake Eyes has been listed as being undercover? Ha! Obviously a ruse by G.I. Joe to fool their own government. Have you narrowed down the area where these three are?"

"Assuming the other two have stayed with Storm Shadow we have but it will take some time to pinpoint the exact location as Storm Shadow managed somehow to scramble his tracking device."

"I'm not interested in excuses! Get troops on the ground at once so that when you do find Storm Shadow's location they will be able to close in on him."

"Right away, Commander."

When Destro left Mindbender stepped forward. "Will we capturing Storm Shadow alive, sir?"

"Of course we are Mindbender!"

"Ah good, then I will be able to reprogram him."

"Not right away, Mindbender!" Cobra Commander wheeled on the scientist. "Once we have that ninja I want to find out what he was doing! Then I will make him suffer and wish he had never been born. When he's within an inch of his life and has acknowledged my power then, and only then, can you have him for reprogramming!"

"Yes, Cobra Commander," Mindbender bowed and was glad he was not in Storm Shadow's shoes at that moment.


	10. Chapter 10

**to blackrose: Huh?**

**to Karama9: You're not supposed to relax around Fire Storm, at least not yet anyway. Next chapter Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes fill Fire Storm in on what has happened to them over the past ten years.**

Fire Storm awoke and found it was early evening. With a growl of frustration he pushed the bed covers aside and stood up. The room spun momentarily but he quickly found his balance and on unsteady feet he made his way out of his room. The front room was deserted and listening hard, Fire Storm could not hear any breathing. He was alone.

His weapons were on a table to the side of the room and Fire Storm quickly donned them, amazed at how many of his secret weapons his brothers had been able to find.

Stepping out of the cabin, Fire Storm looked quickly around before making his way to the side of a jeep that was parked near the cabin. He searched furiously for a set of keys but found none and huffed in anger. Where were his brothers? Fire Storm froze as he actually looked at the interior of the jeep and noticed a symbol on the dashboard that he was very familiar with.

Suddenly he tensed and whipped his sword out as he turned around. "Feeling better?" Storm Shadow asked, as he emerged from the forest.

"What is the meaning of this?" Fire Storm hissed as he pointed to the inside of the jeep.

"You have to be more specific, Fire Storm," Storm Shadow said as Snake Eyes also emerged to stand beside him. "I do not have the pleasure of understanding what you are alluding to."

Fire Storm swore in Japanese before pointing to the cobra symbol on his cheek. "Why do you have the symbol of the cobra in your jeep?" Both Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes froze and Fire Storm believed them guilty. "You're in league with them!" Fire Storm lunged forward and Storm Shadow pushed Snake Eyes out of the way as he drew his own sword to meet their little brother's attack. "You joined our father's murderers!"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Storm Shadow shouted as he met Fire Storm's charge and parried.

Snake Eyes stood off to the side, submitting to Storm Shadow's wish to handle this but he was ready to intervene if he had to.

Storm Shadow and Fire Storm attacked, blocked and re-attacked back and forth as they fought before the cabin. Fire Storm managed to get his sword past Storm Shadow's defenses long enough to nick the outside of the arm before Storm Shadow could deflect the blade from doing more damage.

"Are you getting slow, big brother?" Fire Storm asked, not a trace of concern in his strained vocal chords.

Storm Shadow responded to his taunt with several rapid sword moves, forcing Fire Storm to retreat. "Slow, little brother? I'm merely giving you a chance at this fight as I have more than enough experience and training to beat you."

Fire Storm growled, walking into Storm Shadow's trap, and sprang forward. His sword moves were those Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes had learned when they were twelve but he had nothing more advanced for he had found no one to teach him. Storm Shadow watched Fire Storm's attacks with amusement and pain; his little brother had certainly gotten the wrong end of the stick in life.

Storm Shadow waited till Fire Storm's attacks lost a bit of their ferocity before he moved and, after a few quick successive moves, he disarmed Fire Storm and sent his sword flying into a nearby tree.

Fire Storm eyed the blade as it paused before his neck and then looked at Storm Shadow. "Finish it."

Storm Shadow narrowed his eyes. "Have you heard nothing I have said to you since we found you?"

"Lies," Fire Storm whispered, "they were all lies. Cobra has obviously searched for me since my escape and you two were the perfect candidates to find me for did you not believe I would trust you when we met? So go ahead, kill me. Cobra is responsible for destroying my home, for killing my father, for taking away from me my dignity and self-respect. For the past ten years I have not been able to trust a single person after those three troopers gained my trust, saying they wouldn't hurt me, and then they ripped away everything from me. They…" Fire Storm choked and fell to the ground so that he could wrap his arms around his legs. "When they… when they used me they would sometimes wrap their hands around my throat as hard as they could. I had layer after layer of bruises on my neck that never healed until I was able to flee the cobra base. I had been their prisoner for nine months and sometimes, when they were very rough, I could hardly move. I can't forget that time. It's in my mind constantly. What they did, what they said, is still fresh in my mind." Fire Storm looked up at them. "Kill me Storm Shadow, take away the last thing I have and Cobra will have succeeded in taking everything away from me."

Storm Shadow sheathed his sword. "It is time, Fire Storm, that Snake Eyes and I tell you our stories but know this now. We did not spend all that time trying to find you, rescue you from the feds, merely to kill you now."


	11. Chapter 11

Fire Storm watched Storm Shadow build the bonfire up to a warming blaze as Snake Eyes tended to the minor injuries he had sustained in his fight with Storm Shadow. Although he had lost would he ever dare draw a blade on Storm Shadow again? Probably.

"When our father died that night I saw Snake Eyes flee the fortress and in my grief I thought he had killed the Hard Master. I went after him, not knowing that he was following the real murderer of our father into the mountains. The man got away and when Snake Eyes turned I attacked him and he thought I was the murderer. We were both fighting under an immense weight of sorrow and fighting in the snow-covered mountains didn't help the situation. I don't remember for how long we fought until I finally got the upper hand and pushed Snake Eyes off the cliff. I returned to the safe point where all Arashikage members were to go in case of danger but didn't find you. I searched the ruins but could not find your body; I assumed you were buried too deep under the rubble for my hands to find you so I mourned you as best as I could. But cobra had not left the area. I was found and in my weakened state I only managed to kill handful of troopers before I was subdued. Cobra Commander used some sort of device on me to render me unconscious and when I next awoke the grief in my heart had been replaced with anger for my sword-brother and loyalty to Cobra Commander." Storm Shadow turned to look at Fire Storm then. "They brainwashed me, little brother, to serve them. I have killed many people because of Cobra Commander's whims and I have done much to warrant the hate of every American. I hated Snake Eyes and when he joined G.I. Joe we met many times in battle. He tried to talk to me but I was beyond listening. The years passed and Snake Eyes was in the accident that made him lose his voice and when I learned that I felt an emotion I had not felt since cobra captured me: sympathy. That was the beginning of my old mind regaining its control over the lies Dr. Mindbender had used to brainwash me. But it was not until my confrontation with Snake Eyes last year that I was finally restored to my senses but even though Snake Eyes forgave me once he saw I was myself again I could not go with him."

Silence reigned over the three as they sat around the fire; Storm Shadow added another log before continuing.

"Even though I remembered everything and realized Snake Eyes was guiltless I could not leave cobra. Understand, Fire Storm, that compared to the petty crimes you have done my list of offenses is vast. Plus, I am too deeply entangled in cobra's nets to be able to safely walk away. If I were to leave they would hunt me down. There would be no safe place for me on this planet where I could hide from them. You know of cobra's wealth in money and soldiers. Their technology schemes are endless. They would find me in the end and kill anyone who was with me."

"What are you saying, Storm Shadow?" Fire Storm asked, Snake Eyes placed a hand on his little brother's shoulder.

"I have to return to cobra and remain there until such a time arrives that I can fake my death and be free of them. You cannot come with me, as cobra must not get their hands on you. You have to stay with Snake Eyes, and join the G.I. Joe as a ninja-in-training. Our family tie must not be known to anyone."

Fire Storm remained silent. Although he had always gotten along with Snake Eyes he was not his favorite brother. No, Storm Shadow had had that role and he still had it. Fire Storm realized that the reason Storm Shadow and he had clashed so much after their reunion was because Fire Storm wanted nothing but his older brother's approval and when he hadn't gotten it he had exploded.

"I have to go with Snake Eyes. You won't let me go out on my own." It was not a question so Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes merely stared at Fire Storm. "I am not happy with this. You treat me like I'm a child, giving me orders and no choice. I agree to go with Snake Eyes without fuss only because I know my training is lacking and because I do not want to you two now that we have found each other again. But do not expect me to change overnight. I have a temper and I will lose it but I will make an effort to earn both of your respect."

Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes stances told Fire Storm that his words had surprised his brothers and won their approval. Good, once they stopped watching his every move he could plan an escape route.


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: This might be my last update for awhile, I need to catch up on other things. I will try not to let a month go by without updating.**

The next morning had been brutal for Fire Storm. His brothers had woken him up at 5:30 for breakfast and then they had hustled him outside to go over what he previously knew and build up on it.

Storm Shadow was to leave that night to return to cobra so he did the bulk of the teaching to Fire Storm.

Of course Fire Storm reached the end of his ability to train for the day much sooner than either Snake Eyes or Storm Shadow had expected. Fire Storm's body, still recovering from his bullet wound and completely out of shape, could not lasted till 11:00 before he collapsed in agony and refused to move.

Conceding that their little brother needed more ground work before tackling heavier work-outs, Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes allowed Fire Storm to retreat to the cabin and cook lunch while the older ninjas continued their own work-out.

Fire Storm dragged his aching body to the cabin and was just about to enter it when his senses tingled and he leapt back, just in time to as the throwing star his the door jam where his hand had rested.

Fire Storm drew his sword and jumped off the porch. There before him were three ninjas, dressed in red, blue and gray.

"What have you done with our sensei, cobra ninja?" the one in blue asked for Fire Storm had taken off his mask in order to cool down better and the cobra tattoos were easily visible on his cheeks.

"Who is your sensei?" Fire Storm asked, guessing it was Snake Eyes but at the moment he didn't think kindly of the three who had attacked him with what he thought was an unprovoked attack.

"Don't act like a fool," the red one said, her womanly voice throwing Fire Storm for a moment. "You are at his home after all."

Fire Storm had never asked if this was Storm Shadow's or Snake Eyes' cabin so he decided to continue playing with them. "How do you know I didn't just come upon this cabin on my own?"

"Enough of this!" the blue one lunged forward before the red one could stop him and Fire Storm brought his blade up to stop him. They exchanged blows back and forth as the red one and the gray one stayed out of the fight. "Tell us where he is!"

Fire Storm didn't answer, as he was hard-pressed to defend himself against the better-learned blue ninja. "You fight like a child," the blue one sneered. "Doesn't Storm Shadow trust you enough to train you better?"

Fire Storm growled and lunged at the blue one. He managed to keep the blades occupied enough for him to get a leg in to kick the blue one's side. The red one attacked as soon as the blue one went down and Fire Storm found himself disarmed and flat on his back with a sword pressed to his throat.

"Where is Snake Eyes?"

"Jinx!" Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes appeared out of the woods and the red one, Jinx, looked alarmed to see them together. "Get your sword away from Fire Storm's throat, now."

Jinx obeyed, only when Snake Eyes nodded at her to obey the cobra ninja's order.

"What is going on, sensei?" Tiger Claw asked as he helped Kamakura up off the ground.

'_I am disappointed in the three of you_,' Snake Eyes signed.

"But sensei–" Kamakura started to say but Snake Eyes held up a hand to stop him.

Storm Shadow came forward to help Fire Storm up. "Let's go inside and get lunch ready while Snake Eyes sorts out his apprentices."

Knowing Storm Shadow would fill him in while they were inside, Fire Storm followed his older brother without a word.

Jinx, Kamakura and Tiger Claw stood before Snake Eyes and watched his hands as they rapidly formed the signs.

'_I am disappointed in the three of you,_' Snake Eyes signed again. '_Attacking an unknown ninja without provocation is unacceptable. Your manners are deplorable. Have you not learned anything_?'

"I am sorry," Jinx said, speaking for the three. "I told Kamakura to be patient until we knew more information but he acted so quickly when he saw Fire Storm I couldn't stop his attack."

'_Unacceptable_,' Snake Eyes signed, his stance and manner telling them how angry he was. '_You were in charge, Jinx, I trusted you to trust me and to keep Kamakura and Tiger Claw at H.Q._'

"Everything was going fine until we saw a picture of the three of you on the news and being accused of robbing a bank. Why didn't you tell the feds you were stopping Storm Shadow and his apprentice from robbing the bank? And why are they here now?"

'_Neither of us were robbing the bank_,' Snake Eyes signed, '_we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time_.' Snake Eyes sighed, he could tell them a tiny bit of the truth. '_Fire Storm was Storm Shadow's apprentice but Storm Shadow does not want him to be brainwashed as all cobra troops are, so I am taking him. You three will return to H.Q. immediately and tell the general Fire Storm and I will be there tomorrow. I will explain things to the general but until I do you three will not say anything more than what I have told you what to say and only to the general. You WILL NOT say anything to ANY of the other members of the team. Is that understood_?'

"Yes, sensei."

Kamakura and Tiger Claw immediately started heading for the trees, wishing to be as far away from Snake Eyes as they could possibly be but Jinx hesitated.

"Is it merely a coincidence that Storm Shadow's apprentice has the same name as my little cousin who died when the fortress of the Arashikage clan was destroyed?" Snake Eyes merely looked at her, betraying nothing. "See you tomorrow, cousin."

When the three had disappeared Snake Eyes entered the cabin to find a stacked amount of sandwiches, all neatly sliced, on the table and his brothers waiting for him.

'_Jinx suspects_,' Snake Eyes signed.

"Yes," Storm Shadow said, "I thought she might."

"But she only saw me a few times and that was when I was before I turned ten," Fire Storm said, Storm Shadow's words translating what Shake Eyes had signed.

"She did not recognize your face, little brother," Storm Shadow explained, "but she recognized your name."

After lunch the two older ninjas set about teaching Fire Storm about the handling of various other weapons than what he was used to.

The hours flowed by peaceably until Storm Shadow got ready to leave. Fire Storm and Snake Eyes followed Storm Shadow out of the cabin and they froze when the older of the three did.

"What is it?" Fire Storm asked.

"Machines," Storm Shadow whispered, as his excellent hearing heard what his other two brothers did not. "Many helicopters are coming this way. Cobra had found us."

**AN: also, sorry for the cliffhanger...not really, lol, enjoy and blackrose please don't implode!**


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: Sorry for the wait. I'm going to say right now that I don't think I can get another chapter up until May, I'm going to try to work it in but I do have other writing jobs to do so please be patient.**

The cabin's location obviously being compromised the ninjas did not wait there for the cobra troops to arrive; instead they quickly grabbed their weapons and ran.

"I must leave you two," Storm Shadow said. "I thought I had confused the signal of the tracker but…well never mind that now. The point is they'll follow my signal wherever I go so here's the plan," Storm Shadow looked at Snake Eyes and Fire Storm, his younger brother's eyes were frightened as he was no doubt trying to keep himself from succumbing to the memories of when he was last in Cobra's clutches. "I will lead them away from here and you two will go to G.I. Joe headquarters."

"And when you give them the slip?" Fire Storm asked, "You'll rejoin us right?"

Snake Eyes placed his hand on Fire Storm's shoulder while Storm Shadow prepared his answer. In the silence they could all hear the approaching machines.

"Fire Storm, I can't," Storm Shadow looked at his younger brother and marked how Fire Storm's eyes twitched. "My past crimes laid aside I cannot leave Cobra because I foolishly took an oath on my honor to serve Cobra Commander. I cannot break that oath and the commander knows it. When we meet again it may be on opposite sides but we will by no means be enemies. I want you to listen to Snake Eyes and give him your undivided attention; when I see Snake Eyes again he better be able to give me a good report of you or so help me I'll find the G.I. Joe H.Q. and beat the daylights out of you. Understood?"

"Yes, Storm Shadow," Fire Storm nodded, welcoming Snake Eyes' comforting arm as he turned his back on his oldest brother.

"Good, get going now."

Storm Shadow watched Snake Eyes and Fire Storm disappear into the darkness of the forest and turned towards the approaching machines, hoping that his plan would work. He quickly took one of his daggers and slashed his left leg and then his left arm; he bandaged both wounds and limped towards the approaching helicopters.

When the cobra troops found Storm Shadow they were unsure what they should do to him as he walked willingly into their midst and so they followed him to the Baroness.

"You're too late," Storm Shadow said as he limped to a stop in front of her, "they're long gone but thanks for finally showing up, now you can give me a ride back to base."

"What?" Baroness asked, completely puzzled. "Who's gone?"

"Snake Eyes and his new apprentice, who else?" Storm Shadow queried, doing a convincing job of looking just as equally confused. I was holding my own against them until his other three apprentices showed up."

"And they just left you after they beat you?" Baroness did not believe it, the feud between Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes was highly talked of and betted upon by both sides.

"Of course not. The new one got wounded and Snake Eyes didn't want to lose his newest addition, that and the sound of your arrival influenced their departure. Seriously, can't you muffle the noise these things make?"

Baroness was miffed. "Very well, get in the chopper and we'll take you back to base. Cobra Commander wants your side of the events and he wants it yesterday."

"Alright," Strom Shadow walked past the Baroness, knowing what was coming and not liking it one bit but he couldn't see any possible way to stop it.

As soon as Storm Shadow turned his back on the Baroness she hit him on the back of the head and he fell to the ground, out cold. "Load him into the chopper and bind him. Troopers back to your choppers we're returning to base."

The helicopters lifted up and left. From their hiding spot in a nearby tree Snake Eyes and Fire Storm watched the choppers disappear.

"Why'd he let her hit him? He should have been able to dodge that blow easily?"

Snake Eyes made no answer because Fire Storm wouldn't have been able to understand his signs anyway so the G.I. Joe ninja settled for placing a hand on Fire Storm's shoulder and indicating which way they should go.

"Snake Eyes, I know I promised to obey you and I will do my best not to break that promise but we can't leave Storm Shadow to his fate. We have to save him."

Snake Eyes held up a hand, signaling to wait and then motioned once more to start moving.

"You have a plan?" Fire Storm asked, hope springing in his eyes as he realized Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes had to have worked this out already.

Snake Eyes nodded and that nod was enough assurance to finally persuade Fire Storm to follow him.


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: Sorry for the long wait and I hope this chapter is worth it.**

**To Snakebite204: Welcome to my list of people who have read this story and actually reviewed, I hope you stay. Thanks for pointing out that error, I usually crank a chapter out all in one day and I try to re-read it for errors but I miss a few. Why exactly do you like Jinx? Just asking so that I keep it in mind. I'd say I'm sorry you were almost brought to tears but I'm not as that was the reaction I was going for, it means you were in tune with my story and I succeeded in conveying the emotions, especially in that chapter. I'm afraid my only art skills are in writing but that would be funny to see a pic of Snake Eyes mad at his apprentices, any drawing artists out there? I actually needed a reminder to get writing this chapter so thank you for 'nagging'. Enjoy!**

Fire Storm sat cross-legged on the floor outside General Hawk's office. Shortly after arriving at the G.I. Joe headquarters Snake Eyes had taken Fire Storm to this level, gestured to him to stay put and then had entered the general's office. Jinx, Kamakura and Tiger Claw stood with crossed arms along the opposite wall, their eyes bored into Fire Storm, who bowed head as he refused to look at them.

Given the personalities of the three staring at him this action of his did not sit well with them.

Jinx watched the enigma known as Fire Storm with a nagging suspicion at her mind. Back at Snake Eyes' cabin she was certain she had read Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow's body language right, which for both of them had fairly screamed 'protection' towards Fire Storm. She knew her cousins well enough to know that they would not have been so protective of a ninja-wanna-be unless that person was related to them. Storm Shadow might have been protective of his apprentice, but since the downfall of the Artashikage clan he had had very few moments where his actions were ruled by positive or honorable motivations and those had mostly been towards staying true to the Arashikage code of not harming women fatally. Jinx owed her life to Storm Shadow from several occasions over the past few years where honor had been the only thing keeping him from killing her or letting her die. But Storm Shadow had never taught anyone in the cobra ranks the Arashikage arts, at least not even to the level this Fire Storm was at, even if it was a beginner's level. There were two roadblocks in Jinx's mind that stopped her from connecting the bridges to the truth. One was the fact that if this was Storm Shadow's little brother than why wasn't his training more advanced than it was now? The second roadblock was the fact that both Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow had told her, on separate occasions of course, that her little cousin had died the night the Arashikage clan's fortress had been destroyed. After this Fire Storm was settled Jinx was going to corner Snake Eyes for a private chat.

Tiger Claw, on the other hand, was not puzzling over Fire Storm's character. He stared at Snake Eyes' new apprentice with a sense of curiosity, like Jinx, and a healthy sense of wariness. Although he had seen Fire Storm fight and so knew that he was higher in training than Storm Shadow's ex-apprentice was he did not let the thought go to his head. His curiosity stemmed from what he had seen at Snake Eyes' cabin, which the ninja master never showed to anyone unless he trusted them. Fire Storm may have been the apprentice of Storm Shadow but both of the ninja masters had been willing to lay aside their feud in order to get the young man out of the cobra organization. That alone meant Fire Storm was not normal. Also, Fire Storm had managed to knock down Kamakura, even with his limited amount of training, so Tiger Claw knew that the new ninja would bear watching.

Kamakura was the only one of the three who was not calm. From the beginning he had always considered himself special as Snake Eyes had chosen to teach him, an honor that the ninja master had not bestowed on anyone up to that point. Kamakura had worked hard every single day to prove to Snake Eyes that he had not made a mistake in choosing to train the gaijin. Kamakura had been the first, than Jinx had shown up after she had left her family's clan in Japan to knock around America, and then Tiger Claw had entered the equation a year ago. Kamakura had not trusted Jinx because she had first tried to talk to Storm Shadow, a cobra ninja Kamakura had seen fight his master several times before Jinx showed up and Kamakura still carried the scars from his own encounter with the white-robed ninja. When Jinx had been placed as Snake Eyes' assistant Kamakura had been angry, as he felt the position should have gone to himself as he had been the first, but he had thankfully accepted the fact before it caused problems. Jinx, after all, only sparred with Snake Eyes in order to stay in shape, she was not his apprentice and so Kamakura backed off. Kamakura, however, had quickly shown Tiger Claw his status when eighteen-year-old had joined the ninja squad. Kamakura made sure that Tiger Claw understood who was above who and the young apprentice looked up to the newly fledged ninja, which didn't hurt Kamakura's ego any. Now, looking at the cobra ninja before him, Kamakura felt a rising torrent within himself. Seeing Snake Eyes battle Storm Shadow so many times, wins and loses between them pretty much even, Kamakura could not understand why Snake Eyes would suddenly forget everything his sword-brother had done to him in order to help a cobra-wannabe-ninja. It didn't make sense! And Storm Shadow had trained his apprentice poorly as during their fight Kamakura had noted that Fire Storm's moves were mainly first level ninjutsu, there had been some second level moves but those had not been as well centered. The whole 'wanting to keep Fire Storm from being brainwashed' didn't make sense either as Storm Shadow was supposed to be under the effects of brainwashing himself, how could he possibly fight against it?

Kamakura was burning to ask the questions that were churning in his brain but Snake Eyes had ordered all four of them not to intermingle until they were in, what the green shirts called, 'the ninja' hideout, which was a large portion of the third floor that had been set aside for the use of the ninjas. Other G.I. Joes rarely went there unless they were close to the ninjas, like Scarlet or Duke, and so the ninjas had relative peace for the most part.

For his own part, Fire Storm was making a map in his head of everything he had seen from the top of the base on the ground and then passageways underneath it that he had seen. He fully intended to obey Storm Shadow in letting Snake Eyes teach him but he had to be ready to make an escape should he need one. Judging by the prickling feeling he was getting at the back of his neck from the stares he was getting, particularly from Kamakura, Fire Storm knew that an escape route might be put into use far quicker than he had first anticipated.

The meeting in the general's office did not take long as Snake Eyes emerged after fifteen minutes. He surveyed the four masked individuals in the outer office; the general's secretary was trying her best to work without seeming to deliberately be giving the ninjas' a wide berth. Snake Eyes nodded to the four, moderately happy that all four of them had obeyed his order for once since the whole thing began. Fire Storm was the first to step in line beside Snake Eyes as he headed for the door and Kamakura huffed in his head as he had to walk beside Jinx and Tiger Claw walked behind them.

The five ninjas drew many odd looks from passers-by as they made their way to their overly large suite, or rather Fire Storm drew the odd looks. Kamakura was thankful that the cobra ninja had his mask on or many of the green shirts would have been reaching for their weapons as soon as they saw the cobra tattoos. Those tattoos made Kamakura suspicious of Fire Storm already being under the effects of mind control.

Once they were behind the doors of 'the ninja hideout', Snake Eyes turned to them.

'_This is Fire Storm, your new ninja brother. He is one of us and will be treated as one of us. I take him as my apprentice and will train him alongside Tiger Claw, you Jinx and Kamakura will assist me, as you all know his training has been neglected. You will not pester him for his background, what information he gives he will do so because he wants to. I am not asking you to like him or trust him but I am asking you to understand and trust me. Our regular training schedule will resume tomorrow, dismissed_.'

Snake Eyes motioned Fire Storm to follow him, in order to show the young one where he would be sleeping, and the other three huddled together.

"That one bears watching," Kamakura whispered.

"Trust Snake Eyes," Jinx whispered back, "he knows what he's doing."

Tiger Claw listened to both before turning to head to his own room, he had much to think about as did Jinx but Kamakura did not go to his room. Heading to the gym and not bothering to wrap his hands, Kamakura started punching the bag and kicking it. The thuds echoed in the room as his hands and feet hit the punch bag repeatedly and with increasing speed. Kamakura only stopped when he finally realized that the knuckles on his hands were bleeding and ached painfully. If his hands were too messed up for training tomorrow than sensei was going to kill him.


	15. Chapter 15

His own room. Scratch that. He had an entire suite all to himself, bathroom included. Fire Storm couldn't remember the last time he had ever had such accommodations, certainly not for the past ten years and he couldn't remember what his room back at the Arashikage fortress had been like but he was pretty sure he hadn't had his own bathroom.

A hot shower was also a welcoming relief. Fire Storm wondered if most people took such simple items as a hot shower for granted, after all, who would even think of taking a cold shower? But as a prisoner for Cobra he had been denied everything: privacy, proper clothing and hot showers. As a thief wondering the streets he had gained a little privacy, just enough to keep himself from going insane, but hardly enough to allow peace of mind. To someone like Fire Storm, who had had his privacy stripped away at such a young age, it was crucial to protect himself more than ever from intrusion.

Fire Storm pulled on a shirt and looked at his reflection in the mirror. Like any other time that he looked at his reflection, Fire Storm expected to be unimpressed at the mirror's portrayal of a young man wearing loose-fitting clothes but instead he started in response at his image. There in a corner of his eyes was a spark not suggesting pain. Hope perhaps? One day here at G.I. Joe H.Q. and he was already getting comfortable, taking everything Snake Eyes gave him for granted instead of treating the gifts as they should be treated: objects meant to gain his affection and keep him contained.

As soon as the thought crossed his mind Fire Storm shook his head and turned away from the mirror. He could not blame his brother for trying to fill the gaping hole in Fire Storm's heart where his family had once rested. He wanted to have a family again; he wanted to feel the love that had surrounded him at the Arashikage fortress all those years ago. But he must not lose sight of his objective.

First, he must train in order to become better at the ninjutsu arts. Second, he had to rescue Storm Shadow and hoped Snake Eyes really had a plan, and hadn't signed that he did just to get his little brother to follow him. Third, he had to strike out on his own. Being in his brothers' company for two days had shown him that they would be over-protective, bossy, and set-up a schedule for every minute a day with something for him to do. Fire Storm had worked too hard to regain his freedom from those who had abused him to lose it again, even if it was to his brothers.

Leaving his quarters, Fire Storm made his way to the café. Jinx fell into step beside him and Fire Storm tensed as the last time he had been this close to his cousin had been at Snake Eyes' cabin when she attacked him after he took Kamakura down.

"Did you rest well, Fire Storm?" Jinx asked, her eyes watching Fire Storm's body language.

"Yes, thank you Jinx," Fire Storm replied. Jinx noticed that he was tense but that could be because he wasn't comfortable around her, as any ex-cobra would be.

"I'm glad," Jinx said neutrally, hoping to make him nervous so that he would reveal something but he remained silent.

They entered the hall and made their way over to the table that bore the placard, 'The Spook Table, sit at IF you dare'. "What?" Fire Storm asked, as he stopped to look at the sign.

"A little something from Beachhead, the man sitting over there beside the redhead," Jinx explained, as they entered the food line. "He's always trying to degrade us ninjas because we 'spook' his green shirts and we waltz through his obstacle courses. The greatest insult you can give Beachhead is to treat his obstacle course like a piece of cake. We keep the sign because we find it funny and it makes Beachhead sore that we're not mad about it."

Sitting down at the table, Fire Storm froze as Jinx, Kamakura and Tiger Claw removed their masks in order to eat, he would have to remove his mask! Drawing stares from a few green shirts and G.I.'s sitting around, Fire Storm quickly reached up and removed his mask, trying to act like the action didn't bother him but Jinx saw through him.

"It's awkward the first couple of times, Fire Storm, but you'll get used to it," Jinx said reassuringly, feeling pity for the young man who might be her cousin. Kamakura and Tiger Claw watched but didn't comment, knowing Jinx would reprimand them if they said anything, as they too had been uncomfortable removing their masks outside the ninja suite.

Fire Storm ignored the stares and gasps as the non-ninjas in the room saw his face for the first time, their eyes immediately going to the cobra tattoos on his cheeks, and dug into his fruit salad. "Are you another health nut like Storm Shadow?" Kamakura asked, ignoring the warning looks Jinx threw him.

"What do you mean?" Fire Storm asked, keeping his voice low so as to not strain his throat.

"Snake Eyes once told us how picky Storm Shadow is about what he eats. He doesn't eat any kind of junk food, or greasy food, and even the healthy food has to be just right or he throws a tantrum. Guess as you're his apprentice it makes sense if you're like that too."

Fire Storm realized that there were a lot of things he could say right then. He could tease Kamakura on how he seemed to base most of his sentences on 'Snake Eyes says this' or 'Snake Eyes says that' but he held his tongue. He would not be able to convince Snake Eyes that he was mature if he goaded Kamakura so he searched for a neutral answer.

"The fruit salad was the only thing up there that looked good."

"Oh it was, was it?" A voice behind Fire Storm asked and the young man felt the hair on the back of his neck rising. "Well then, cobra ninja, why don't you turn around and tell me what was wrong with the rest of the food up there?"


	16. Chapter 16

**Karama9: Sorry about the typos, I guess I should get somebody to look my chapters over before I post them. Remember that we don't know the conversation Snake Eyes had with the general when he first brought Fire Storm to base.  
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"Now Roadblock—" Jinx tried to interfere but the man called Roadblock raised a hand to stop her.

Fire Storm looked at towering black man in front of him and gulped inwardly. A memory was threatening to take over his mind for it had been a big black man just like this who had run the street gang.

"Well?" Roadblock demanded. Everyone else in the café was watching the two of them, waiting to see what happened.

Fire Storm tried to think of something crafty to say, like Storm Shadow would, but his mind was blank, all he could see was the gang leader bearing down on him for a beating.

Roadblock let his anger slide as he finally looked past the tattooed cheeks to the wide eyes that looked at him fearfully. Any other time Roadblock would have been proud of striking fear into a cobra soldier but this time the feeling did not sit right with him. Something was wrong here. The half-glazed look in the ninja's eyes told Roadblock that the cobra soldier was fighting off a memory, a memory _he_ had awoken!

Fire Storm's face finally hardened as Roadblock and Slick, the gang leader, merged into one person. His body began to tremble as he felt his pent-up anger towards Slick's abuse spread through his veins. He had been helpless back then to stop Slick from taking advantage of him but not now.

When Fire Storm blinked he fond himself once again in the café, struggling in the grip of Jinx, Tiger Claw and Kamakura. Jinx had him in a head-lock and was whispering words in his ear that were meant to calm him down. On the floor Roadblock was nursing a bloody nose and looking up at Fire Storm in sushocrprise and understanding.

The café erupted as Joes and green shirts jumped out of their seats. Some were trying to get to Fire Storm whhile others were restraining their comrades

Once ascertaining that Fire Storm had calmed down Jinx released him but Kamakura and Tiger Claw kept their hold on him. Law and Order approached the ninjas warily; the dog was not growling to everyone's surprise, as he would have had he sensed a threat. Jinx realized that Order probably knew more about the situation than anyone thanks to his canine senses.

"Fire Storm," Law didn't waste time addressing the shaking ninja. "Turn around and put your hands behind your back."

"Law wait—" Jinx started to say but Law cut her off.

"No Jinx. I was told to watch this cobra ninja and impound him the second he stepped over the line. Now you three back off and let me do my job."

Fire Storm stepped towards the M.P., shaking off Tiger Claw and Kamakura's weakening hold. He did as he had been ordered, facing his fellow ninjas as Law handcuffed him and started to lead him out of the café.

Snake Eyes stepped into the room just as they were about to leave and froze when he saw Fire Storm being led by Law and Order.

'_What happened_?' He signed.

"From what I saw Fire Storm jumped Roadblock and flattened him in one blow. I'm putting him a cell and then I'll get his side of things before I get Roadblock's."

Snake Eyes stepped forward. '_I'll take charge of him_,' he signed and reached forward with one hand for Fire Storm.

"No, Snake Eyes. The general told me to watch this guy and put him in a cell whenever he acted out of line. I'm pretty sure hitting Roadblock counts as acting out of line. Now, after I put him in a cell I'll meet you at the general's office and we'll work this out, alright?"

Snake Eyes looked at Fire Storm, as if he were asking the younger ninja if he had nothing to say then to defend himself but Fire Storm stayed silent.

Jinx and Tiger Claw stepped behind Snake Eyes as Fire Storm was led out of the café and to the cell block. Kamakura hung behind them and only straightened when Snake Eyes turned to them to learn what had happened. But Snake Eyes didn't ask his original question right away as he saw Kamakura's hands for the first time. Kamakura looked down at his hands and realized his efforts to heal them during the night had not been totally effective as they had scabbed over very noticeably.

'_I will deal with you later_,' Snake Eyes signed to Kamakura before turning to Jinx. '_Tell me what happened._'

General Hawk watched the screen where Fire Storm sat on the cot in his cell, petting Order. "He refuses to say what happened?"

"Yes, sir," Law replied. "I asked him to tell me his version of what happened and he wouldn't, I got the impression he was embarrassed. Also, as you see, Order has taken quite a liking to him, and the last time he did that was to that homeless kid two years back who had had a really hard life and was an emotional wreck."

"You think something similar is in play here?"

"I don't see why not, general. Cobra doesn't exactly put time and effort into recruiting the most stable minded soldiers, they're only interested in if they can fight. My read on the kid is that he's been neglected, abused and used so much that he just can't help fighting back now that he's in a position to do so. I wouldn't be surprised if Roadblock forced the kid to have a flashback which would explain why Fire Storm lashed out with such force as he did."

Snake Eyes, as usual, said nothing, he merely listened and watched the monitor screen. Hawk turned to the black-clad ninja.

"Snake Eyes, he's your responsibility, I know that, but we can't have a broken-minded soldier on the force. Will you allow Psyche-Out to evaluate him?" Snake Eyes shook his head. "Despite your general dislike for psychologists, why not?"

'_I don't trust shrinks_,' Snake Eyes signed, '_and Fire Storm would not cooperate. My team will handle him and he will be confined to our level except for P.T. until I say so_.'

"Snake Eyes, I just don't think—" Hawk was cut off by a knock on the door, Roadblock entered and nodded to the three Joes.

"Was there something further you wanted to add to your statement, Roadblock?" Law asked and Roadblock nodded.

"I wanted to say that I'm not pressing charges against Fire Storm and I request that he not spend the night in the cell block as you were planning that he do."

"Why?"

"I told you that I had seen his eyes glaze slightly, as though he were slipping into a flashback, that is the only reason why I am requesting this. Something about me, perhaps by the way I bore down on him, caused him to lose his focus and attack me. The situation was taken out of his hands because I disregarded your orders, general, when I heard him commenting on my food. Nothing would have had happened if I hadn't let myself get insulted by that cobra soldier."

"If it didn't happen in the café, Roadblock, it would have happened somewhere else. But," Hawk rubbed his eyes tiredly; "as you're willing to let the matter slide I guess I can also let it slide just this once. Snake Eyes, go bail your apprentice out of jail and I'm giving you one week of keeping him confined to the ninja hideout before I want him back in the café for meals and moving about the unrestricted levels. Dismissed."

There were not many times when Snake Eyes said 'no' to Hawk and got away with it. This being one of those times the ninja did not stick around for Hawk to change his mind but instead he quickly made his way to the cell block and let his younger brother out of the cell. Order followed them for the rest of that level until they got to the elevator where the dog lay down and whined as the doors closed before he got back up to run back to his station to await Law's return.

Back in their suite, Fire Storm found Kamakura soaking his hands in ice water and Snake Eyes immediately went over to him, his hands moving so quickly that there was little room for misunderstanding on how angry he was. Seizing the opportunity, Fire Storm started tip toeing to his room, hoping he would make it there before Snake Eyes remembered to talk to him.

A pillow, one of many on the couch, hit the back of his head and he turned to see Snake Eyes, behind him a red-faced Kamakura, and Fire Storm gulped. Snake Eyes grabbed a sheet of paper and a pencil, scribbled something on it quickly before handing the paper to Fire Storm.

_Grab a pillow, a blanket, your nightclothes and a change of clothes for tomorrow. You're sleeping in my room until further notice. When you're done report to the training room._

"What?" Fire Storm snapped. "You're grounding me? I'm not a child anymore, Snake Eyes, and you're not my father!"

Fire Storm stomped off to his room, missing the looks Jinx, Tiger Claw and Kamakura shared. Snake Eyes had known Fire Storm when he was a child?


	17. Chapter 17

Fire Storm glared at Snake Eyes as his older brother handed him a bo staff and pointed to the waiting Kamakura. Kamakura was standing on the mats, twirling his staff around his upper body as he watched the still raging Fire Storm walk reluctantly over to him. Kamakura inwardly grinned; Fire Storm was still upset over being grounded by Snake Eyes and as such his emotions were building to a boiling point, one little push and he would explode. Kamakura felt even more satisfied when Snake Eyes walked away to train Tiger Claw.

"Alright," Kamakura let his voice turn patronizingly. "Have you ever handled a bo staff before?"

"No," Fire Storm ground out between his teeth.

"Well then, place your hands like so and your feet like this." Once Fire Storm was in the right position Kamakura continued. "Your defense positions are like this," Kamakura showed the defense position to Fire Storm, his movements exaggeratingly slow and Fire Storm rolled his eyes in annoyance as he copied the movements. "and your attack positions start—"

"You can go faster you know?" Fire Storm pointed out, his eyes narrowing at Kamakura.

Kamakura swung the bo staff to sweep out the surprised Fire Storm's legs. "Do not interrupt me." Fire Storm fell to the floor but just as quickly he was back on his feet and lunging at Kamakura.

The two dropped to the ground and rolled, Fire Storm swung punches madly at Kamakura while the latter tried to flip the boy off of him.

Jinx and Snake Eyes pulled Fire Storm off of Kamakura. The sensei looked at Kamakura and Fire Storm before motioning to Jinx to continue Fire Storm's lesson, then he grabbed Kamakura by the shoulder and led him out of the room.

'_I told you not to correct him by hitting him_,' Snake Eyes signed.

"You're taking his side?" Kamakura asked in disbelief. "You gave me the task of training him and so I set to train him as you taught me. If my position was wrong or I was disrespectful you did not hesitate to reprimand me physically."

'_That was different. You and Fire Storm are nothing alike. You both come from completely different worlds. Up until now Fire Storm has been abused in every physical way, you hit him and he will retaliate. He must be disciplined by words only. Do you understand_?'

Kamakura didn't completely understand but he felt like he was beginning too. "Yes, sensei." Then Kamakura's eyes widened as he realized that for the first time he had spoken back to Snake Eyes. "Sensei forgive me—"

Snake Eyes cut him by laying a hand on his shoulder. A simple gesture that spoke volumes to the younger ninja. '_Go spar with Tiger Claw now_.'

Snake Eyes went back into he training room and Kamakura moved to engage Tiger Claw. Snake Eyes watched Jinx instruct Fire Storm before interrupting the lesson. With a wave of his hand he indicated the two of them to step out of the room with him.

Snake Eyes would have preferred to discipline Fire Storm in private but he needed Jinx to translate, as he did not feel patient enough to write it all down. '_What happened_?'

"He hit me," Fire Storm said, after Jinx had related Snake Eyes' hands signs. Snake Eyes cocked his head to the side and Fire Storm knew his older brother was waiting for a more detailed explanation. "When he knocked me down and laughed, I just, I just lost it. For years I have been beaten down and laughed it, I couldn't take that from him."

'_You need to learn self-control_,' Snake Eyes signed. '_In sparring matches you will be hit and you cannot allow yourself to fall into a frenzy. Being blinded by your rage makes you a target; you cannot allow that to happen. You will apologize to Kamakura for losing your temper_.'

"What?" Fir Storm asked. "You're taking his side in this? You were there, you saw him goading me and yet you side with him?"

Snake Eyes smirked as Fire Storm unknowingly repeated Kamakura's words. '_I will not favor you because of our connection,_' Jinx's eyes narrowed as she translated. '_You will never become a master of ninjutsu if you are babied. You will never be able to live with yourself if you allow shadows from your past to spook you. You will never be able to live around others as long as you push them away out of fear of being hurt. Now, go to that mat in the corner and sit. I want you to breathe in and out until you are calm in mind and body. When you are calm call me and we will continue your training._'

Fire Storm did his best to rein in his anger so that he wouldn't yell at Snake Eyes again. He went and did as he was told, breathing in and out first very hurriedly but as the anger died away inside him he felt a calm settling over himself. Jinx watched Fire Storm before turning back to watch Tiger Claw block Kamakura's attack and then return the attack quickly. Who knew having the ex-cobra ninja would stir up such a hornet's nest? Her mind was running backwards, back to the time when another Fire Storm was a little boy and had snuck in her room to prank her. Dimly she remembered what he looked like. Tall for his age with green eyes that sparkled like so many emeralds and red flaming hair that always poked out in unruly directions. She remembered acutely the prank, the wet piece of rubber that had felt like a snake when her bare feet had brushed against it when she had climbed into the bed. She recalled a laughing face, a face that shone without a care in the world as her little cousin had looked up at her with a huge grin on his face. Storm Shadow's apprentice also had red hair but his green eyes were dull, as if some sort of barrier was between his soul and eyes to keep it from shining through. She had yet to see him laugh or even smile, he hadn't tried to pull a prank and her little cousin hadn't been able to go more than five minutes without pulling a prank on someone, or at least plotting one.

Could ten years change someone so drastically? What would someone have to experience to go from a happy, care-free child to a depressed, stubborn young man? Jinx looked back at Fire Storm to see that the young man was still breathing in and out but his position was more relaxed. Like a snake that relaxes its muscles before tightening them to strike.

Wouldn't Snake Eyes hadve told her if this Fire Storm was her cousin?


	18. Chapter 18

Fire Storm decided that he didn't like having to share a room with Snake Eyes after the first night and the second night did nothing to change his mind. Snake Eyes slept in the only bed in the room and Fire Storm used a couple of sleeping bags to camp out on the floor as far away from Snake Eyes as he could manage. The thing he really hated looking at was the picture of his family, Hard Master, Storm Shadow, Snake Eyes and himself, that his brother kept on a stand by his bed. It was painful to look at the picture, it was painful to remember what he had lost and it hurt to think of what he could have had.

But, Fire Storm reasoned, he was not the only one who was suffering any more he had to remember that. Snake Eyes was suffering, Storm Shadow was suffering as they too had lost a father and they had lost him for ten years. He didn't have to bear the weight of loss anymore by himself but he wasn't sure if he could completely open himself to Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow would have been easier to talk to.

Fire Storm glanced over at the sleeping form of his brother, he knew that one move of his and Snake Eyes would be instantly alert and watching him. The only way Snake Eyes would lift Fire Storm's punishment was if the younger confided in him and fully opened up. Fire Storm sighed and turned towards the wall, he couldn't be at odds with Snake Eyes if they were to help Storm Shadow. He would just have to say the words he knew Snake Eyes was waiting to hear.

"Snake Eyes?" Fire Storm whispered, not turning towards his brother but knowing Snake Eyes had awoken and was watching him. Taking a deep breath Fire Storm did his best not to choke on his next words, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I lost control of myself and hit Roadblock. I'm sorry I lost my temper and attacked Kamakura. I'm sorry that I've been questioning you and yelling at you, and not listening to what you say. I guess going from having no one cared for me to suddenly having a family again kind of messed my mind up a bit." Fire Storm let out a shaky breath. "I swear I'll make more of an effort too improve my behavior and reach out to others."

Fire Storm breathed in for several seconds, hearing nothing, but when a hand touched his shoulder he did not start but instead let out a relieved sigh. Snake Eyes told him in the only way he could by gripping his shoulder in that comforting hold that his apology was accepted.

"Why did you do it?" Tiger Claw asked as Kamakura tried to fool the younger man by pretending to be asleep but Tiger Claw knew better. "You know Fire Storm walks a tight rope, our sensei warned us not to rile him up but you disobeyed him." Tiger Claw's voice was one of incredulity and rightly so, only those with a death wish disobeyed Snake Eyes. "You disobeyed the sensei? Why Kamakura? Why did you do it?"

Seeing that his plan was not working, Kamakura turned and raised himself up on one elbow. "I do not trust Fire Storm. He's Storm Shadow's apprentice, he's barely trained past the first stage and he's ex-cobra. He wears those cobra tattoos around like they're a sign of pride and looking at them makes me sick. He could be a spy, he could be preparing to blow up the base, and maybe he's one of those suicidal bombers. I don't know why I went against the sensei but I did. Something about Fire Storm just rubs me the wrong way and I refuse to lower my guard around him. You would be wise to follow my example."

Tiger Claw surveyed Kamakura briefly. "You're jealous." Kamakura blinked. "You have always held the position of being Snake Eyes' favorite. When I came you did your best to make me realize that you were better than me and that nothing I did would raise me above you. Now Fire Storm is here but it's different, he is someone from the sensei's past, Jinx told us her suspicions on that, and so he has a prior claim than yours. You're afraid he will replace you as Snake Eyes' favorite. I was told you had a shallow trust in people's feelings or purposes towards you but I didn't realize how shallow that was until now."

Tiger Claw closed the door, wanting to slam it but knowing if he did then sensei would wake up and ask what was going on. Kamakura blinked at the closed door before lowering himself back onto his bed, tucking one arm under his head as he did so. He knew he had barely believed his luck when Snake Eyes had chosen him as his apprentice and had worked hard every day so that his sensei would not regret his choice but surely he could not be acting the way he was now based on what Tiger Claw said. No, he did not trust Fire Storm, that mistrust was the reason for his actions nothing more.

Jinx tossed and turned on her bed, groaning as he hit her pillow, which refused to offer comfort. Every time she closed her eyes she saw either her little cousin or the ex-cobra ninja looking at her, begging her to unearth the secret of the Fire Storms. Just as she started to drift off was when the faces of her little cousin and the ex-cobra started to merge and become one.

Sitting up quickly Jinx drew her legs up and rested her arms on her knees and then her chin on her arms. What would her cousin look like if he had lived? He could almost be a dead ringer for the ex-cobra but the cobra symbols on the young man's cheeks and the hollow painful gaze of the stormy eyes kept Jinx from truly putting the two together. Yet she couldn't dismiss the possibility as it continued to nag her as she thumped her pillow one last time before lying down to try to sleep again.

If her little cousin and the ex-cobra were one and the same why hadn't she been told? Why hadn't Snake Eyes trusted her with this piece of information that for some reason had to be kept secret? If it was true Jinx vowed Snake Eyes would definitely think twice about family secrets from her in the future.

Finally thinking that she would confront Snake Eyes in the morning Jinx was finally able to roll onto her side and fall asleep.

In the dark room a lone figure lay stretched out on a sleeping palette, gazing up at the gray colored ceiling. They would like to believe that they had finally managed to wipe everything from him this time, all emotions, all feelings and all thoughts. But they could not erase what they did not know was there and so he was able to retain a few memories, shattered though they were, but they were his lifeline and they were the only thing that kept him from becoming completely heartless like they wanted him to.

A thought burned in his mind, a name that meant a lot to him and held a connection to someone else as equally important but he didn't know why. _Fire Storm_.


	19. Chapter 19

**AN: Okay, sorry for the long wait and this chapter is short, sorry for that too but enjoy! Also want to say a big thank you for the reviews and the more I get the quicker I update.**

Snake Eyes looked down at Kamakura and Fire Storm as he stood before the sitting apprentices. Both of the young men were sitting cross-legged in front of their towering sensei and while their stance to him was respective they did not look at each other. Snake Eyes sighed, as mush as he was able to do so, and moved his hands.

'_I have come to a decision that will, hopefully, rectify the situation between the two of you. From now on you two will share sleeping quarters, you will have meals together, you will train together, and you will go everywhere together within the confines on our level. You will speak to no one else but each other and myself. You will adhere to these instructions or you will both be pulling time in the kitchen for the next two months. Understood_?'

"Yes, sensei," Kamakura said immediately but Fire Storm, who had to read Snake Eyes' instructions on the paper handed to him before he threw a glance at the other apprentice and nodded his compliance.

Fire Storm was sure they would kill each other within a few hours. He could not stand Kamakura for the sole fact that he found the ninja extremely annoying and boastful. Kamakura, for his part, did not trust Fire Storm and doubted he ever would.

Jinx claimed Snake Eyes' attention and the two young men were left to themselves.

"So," Kamakura ventured at last, realizing that Snake Eyes was expecting him to be the leader of this grouping only because he did have more experience. "Do you want to move your belongings to my quarters? I believe I know where to get another bed, so you won't have to sleep on the floor or the couch. Want to do that?"

Fire Storm looked at Kamakura with narrowed eyes, "Sure, let's do that."

Snake Eyes and Jinx watched the two boys leave together, most likely to go get Fire Storm situated in Kamakura's quarters.

"Think it will work?" Jinx asked, watching Snake Eyes closely.

Snake Eyes, fully aware that Jinx was staring at him, shrugged, '_Time will tell_.'

"I can remember the Hard Master doing the same thing with you and Storm Shadow as you two were constantly fighting and arguing. You two always had a hard time getting along that is until Fire Storm came along. Do you think Fire Storm being here now will help bring this family back together?" Snake Eyes, letting her think he was not paying attention, shrugged and effectively dodged a punch Jinx threw at him.

"How could you?" Jinx hissed, as she brought her hands up and swung out at Snake Eyes. "Why didn't you tell me that he was my cousin? Why did you try to deceive me?"

Snake Eyes effectively dodged Jinx' attack and stepped behind her as he grabbed her hands and pinned them to her chest. "Jinx…" A strangled, throat wrenching voice hissed into the woman's ear and she stopped struggling, her eyes went large and she choked down a cry. She knew how painful it was for Snake Eyes when he forced himself to speak.

"I will hear you, cousin."

Fire Storm set up the cot in a corner of Kamakura's sleeping room, about as far away from Kamakura's bed as he could manage, which was not far. Kamakura lounged on his bed; his attitude of one who is relaxed but inside he was tense as newly coiled spring.

Fire Storm sighed as he finished making the cot and looked at Kamakura. "So… How do you think this, uh, arrangement will work?"

Kamakura looked at Fire Storm before looking back up at the ceiling. "As long as we don't kill one another we should both come out of this relatively unscathed. Don't you agree?"

Fire Storm cracked a smile and began unpacking his bag. "Neither of us is comfortable with this arrangement, Kamakura, so let's not pretend to be so."

"Look," Kamakura swung his legs to the floor and stood up. "I am not happy with this but I am going to do what Snake Eyes told me to do. The sooner we make him see that we are cooperating the sooner you can get out of my room."

Fire Storm nodded, "Fair enough."

"Alright then, if you're done let's go run track. I want to find out exactly what your level is in every field before I try training you again."

"You mean before you start speaking to me like I'm five?"

Kamakura narrowed his eyes, "Let's just go."


	20. Chapter 20

**AN: Sorry for the long wait, enjoy!**

Kamkaura and Fire Storm sparred in a corner of the training room. It had been two days since Snake Eyes had grouped them together and Fire Storm was amazed, as he knew Kamakura was, that they had not killed each other yet.

While the two were among the other ninjas, Kamakura and Fire Storm did their best to remain civil to one another but in the former's quarters they barely spoke more than a syllable to each other, preferring to communicate by hand gestures and facial expressions.

The only good thing Fire Storm could see coming out of this plan of his brother's was that he was learning the martial arts and he was learning sign language.

Fire Storm ducked and brought up his sword to attack but Kamakura's recovery was quick and Fire Storm was forced to give ground before the better trained ninja. They traded blows back and forth and Fire Storm knew he was only able to keep pace because Kamakura slowed his movements enough for his younger sparring partner to be able to learn them.

After their match, Kamakura stepped beside him and showed him the defense moves they would use in their match the next day. Fire Storm followed Kamakura exactly for the next hour until they broke for lunch.

During lunch Fire Storm could not help but notice how Kamakura's eyes strayed to his tattooed cheeks again and again. The young man sighed mentally; Kamakura still thought he was a cobra agent.

As soon as they were done eating, Kamakura got out the sign language book and they set to work on the signs. Fire Storm had started to grasp American Sign Language a lot faster than stage two in martial arts.

Kamakura reached across the table quickly to correct Fire Storm's hand position and noted with narrowed eyes how the younger man froze. Kamakura slowed his hand slightly as he repositioned Fire Storm's thumb and then withdrew his hand. Fire Storm stared at his hand for a few seconds before looking up Kamakura. He had been doing fine around the blue clad ninja for the past two days, why did his body have to betray him now?

Kamakura examined Fire Storm before moving on to the next signs and Fire Storm hoped the topic would not come up when they were alone in the ninja's room.

"What now?" he asked Kamakura but the young man said nothing for a long minute.

"Go run a few laps," Kamkaura said and Fire Storm obeyed without even a look of frustration.

Snake Eyes watched the parting, almost thinking Kamakura was going against his instructions but then he saw the deep thoughtful look on the blue ninja's face and he turned away. Kamakura was working things out in his mind and he was not going to interfere with that.

The day passed but it was not until after dinner that Fire Storm became suspicious of Kamakura, the blue ninja having ordered him to his suite as soon as they were done eating.

"What happened to us agreeing to work together with this forced arrangement?" Fire Storm asked hoarsely, his hand clutching Kamakura's grip on his shoulder.

"Move." Kamakura's one syllable word left no room for argument; it was final, said with all intent that the order would be obeyed. But Kamakura had failed to calculate all the variables in the steps he took to issue his order. There was the tone of his voice; very commanding and just right to push someone who had been ordered around a little too much over the edge. Then there was his grip on Fire Storm's shoulder. Kamakura had often been told that he had a grip of steel, something he had come by through a rigorous, intense training, but not everyone can know their own strength; no matter how much training they've had. He was now gripping Fire Storm's shoulder hard, employing his strength to get his point across to the younger man, and for someone who has been beaten for the majority of their life it only takes a strong-hurtful grip and a commanding tone to make that person see red.

Fire Storm had one objective: to get out of Kamakura's bruising grip and that was what he set out to do.

He moved quickly, bringing his fist down in an arc to hit Kamakura in the chest and then twist away. Kamakura took the blow to his sternum, the air whooshing out of him as he released Fire Storm and stumbled back. Finding himself free, Fire Storm turned to run but, as the move he had used was from an advanced level he had only watched being used but had never learned, he did not know to the full extent how dangerous the move was and so he was halfway down the hall before he heard the grunt of pain; coming from someone who had had more than just the wind knocked out of him.

Fighting his instinct to flee, Fire Storm turned to see Kamakura crumbled on the floor, the sound of the blue ninja's lungs working hard to bring in air filling the younger man's ears.

Against the philosophy that had been driven into him over the past ten years, Fire Storm ran back to Kamakura; the first stages of panic flittering through his body. "Snake Eyes!" He heard a voice shout and realized, as he fell to his knees beside Kamakura, that it was his own. He did not know what to do. Kamakura struggled to breathe, his efforts hampered by something a simple blow to the stomach would not have caused. "Kamakura?" The older of the two looked up with glassy eyes, tears of pain escaping from the edges of his eyelids. He moved his mouth, trying to say something but while he could not breathe he could not speak either. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Fire Storm found himself being pushed to the side as Snake Eyes bent over Kamakura, his hands moving to gently prod the chest area.

"What did you do?" Jinx grabbed Fire Storm and pulled him up, slamming him against the wall. "What did you do?"

"I don't know!" He shouted, seeing Tiger Claw appear out of his peripheral vision but paying him no mind at the moment. "I just hit him."

"Where?" Jinx shook him hard. "Where did you hit him? What move did you use?"  
>On the floor Kamakura still struggled to breathe but now they could hear the young man's cries of pain, coming out in strangled gasps along with his fight for air.<p>

"I don't know," Fire Storm whispered, the full reality of what he had done settling in. "I don't know what I did."

"Show me," Jinx ordered and Fire Storm drew his hand up, his limb shaking slightly as he watched Jinx' eyes narrowed as he brought his hand down in an arc over his own sternum. Jinx looked up at him with widened eyes, "You didn't?" She grabbed Fire Storm again and threw him against the wall; hard. "You little idiot! How could you?" She went to slap him and Fire Storm would not have stopped her but Tiger Claw did, pointing to Snake Eyes.

Snake Eyes had looked back at Fire Storm when he demonstrated the move he had used, to say he was okay with what his brother had done would have been a lie, using unlearned moves in martial arts was one of the dangerous things a person could do after all, but he was keeping calm for the moment and reserving judgment. Now, with Jinx threatening to tear Fire Storm apart and Tiger Claw holding her back, Snake Eyes took in the situation and risked moving his hands from Kamakura's chest to sign for all of them to calm down before he turned back to his injured apprentice.

The three standing ninjas watched in silence as Snake Eyes moved his fingers to push in on certain spots on Kamakura's chest. Then he lifted Kamakura high enough to slide a hand under his back while his other hand pushed in on Kamakura's chest quickly: one, two, three.

Kamakura continued to fight for air during all of this, his face turning white and his eyes staring widely at all of them with a plea for help.


	21. Chapter 21

**AN: Seriously? One review? What happened to all those people who were hounding me to update and liked my story?**

Snake Eyes continued to press on Kamakura's chest while his other hand pushed in on points on the young man's back. Everyone was rewarded when Kamakura was finally able to draw in a complete breath of air. There were sighs of relief from everyone as Kamakura continued to breathe in full breaths of air, even after Snake Eyes took his hands away.

Snake Eyes quickly made signs to Tiger Claw and the boy left quickly, coming back with a stretcher. Together they lifted Kamakura as steadily as possibly onto the stretcher and then they carried him to Kamakura's room, placing him on the bed. Snake Eyes quickly did a check over and after he had sustained that Kamakura was out of danger he signaled Fire Storm to enter the room.

Fire Storm obeyed; hating himself for shaking while he entered the room. Snake Eyes did nothing, aside from moving to the door and shutting it. Fire Storm heard the lock and sighed, looking towards the bed where Kamakura was looking at him with wide eyes.

"I'm sorry," Fire Storm blurted out and Kamakura huffed softly before motioning slowly for Fire Storm to come closer. Fire Storm perched precariously on the bottom of Kamakura's bed and stared at the blue ninja, "I guess I should explain, huh? Why I'm so jumpy and don't like being pushed around or grabbed?" Kamakura gave him a 'You think?' look and Fire Storm sighed, "Okay, I'll tell you everything. First off, I'm not a cobra soldier, I never have been and I'm also the younger brother of Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow."

Fire Storm was never more thankful than that moment that Kamakura could not talk after he made that statement.

"I can't believe you left him in there with Kamakura alone!" Jinx shouted at Snake Eyes, completely riled up and Tiger Claw wisely started distancing himself from the two until he was safely in his own quarters. "He pulled an unsupervised Dim Mak move on Kamakura! If he had struck harder he would have broken Kamakura's ribs or caused some internal damage. You know how dangerous Dim Mak moves are to begin with, never mind the fact that that particular move is only to be used in the most desperate cases of self-defense, which is why those techniques are not taught until level five. Surely you don't sanction—?"

Snake Eyes clamped a hand over Jinx's mouth and made a sign with his other hand, signaling her to be quiet. Then he drew both his hands together, making the signs for Kamakura and Fire Storm before drawing the two together.

"You hope that this incident, never mind the pain it caused Kamakura, will help the two overcome their differences and become friends?" Snake Eyes nodded and Jinx snorted. "You have too much faith in that. Kamakura will not forget this and as soon as he gets his body back under control he is going to kill Fire Storm."

Snake Eyes shrugged a 'maybe' before turning and walking to his own quarters. Jinx watched him with narrowed eyes until she heard a door open and Tiger Claw stuck his head out to look about the hallway before looking her way.

"What are you looking at?" She snapped at him and Tiger Claw ducked back inside. Jinx drew in a breath, hoping to calm down but when that failed she went back to the gym to take out her frustration on the punching bag.

"Thank…you," Kamakura said, control over his faculties slowly coming back to him. He felt as though he had grown up considerably over the past half hour; it was amazing what the truth did to a person. "I can see… that it was not easy telling me… but I am glad I know the truth now."

Fire Storm nodded, he also felt as though a weight had been lifted after he had unburdened his past on Kamakura in a more controlled way than he had with his brothers. "I am truly sorry for what I did to you. I didn't know that move, I had only seen it done before and even then I wasn't thinking when I used it."

Kamakura raised his hand to Fire Storm, "Apology accepted."

Fire Storm blinked at the offered hand, stunned for a moment before he smiled and shook Kamakura's hand. "Friends?"

Kamakura grinned, "Friends."

Elsewhere, a white figure moved about the mats slowly, letting his aching muscles adapt to their new freedom of movement. Freedom? What a joke. They may let him out of his dark cell but he was by no means off the hook. They watched his every move, like a cat with a trapped mouse. Everywhere he went they followed, waiting, watching to see if they owned him once again.

He knew he had preserved a piece of his mind from the brainwashing, he just was not sure how much was himself and how much was theirs now. He would not until he met Fire Storm but he was not sure if he wanted to see the boy. Fire Storm was the key to the preserved part of his self and meeting the boy would unlock how much of his former self existed. But not knowing how he would react to such a memory overload could very well put the boy on Cobra's hit list and that must never happen.


	22. Chapter 22

The time that General Hawk had given Snake Eyes to 'tame' Fire Storm had ended and the ninjas emerged from their suite in full force on their way to the cafeteria. Entering the commissary Fire Storm was greeted by Order, who wanted several good rubs before he would let the boy go on his way.

At the designated ninja table, Fire Strom sat across from Kamakura, who immediately opened the sign language book and they went to work. Fire Storm had made considerable progress under Kamakura's tutelage since the incident and could almost understand everything Snake Eyes signed.

Fire Storm could feel the stares but this time he knew they were deserved. Last time he had entered the mess hall he had not put his best foot forward and he knew it was going to take more than a week to chance peoples' opinions of him. Like Jinx.

Fire Storm sighed and returned his attention to Kamakura. Snake Eyes watched the happenings of the mess hall behind his mask, rolling an apple around in his hands as he noticed how the soldiers tried to covertly look at Fire Storm and at how his little brother tried to ignore them. Jinx was eating her meal with an air of indifference, no doubt still smarting from his reprimand when she had tried to lecture Fire Storm about the Dim Mak move. It was not her place to tell Fire Storm, it was his, he was the boy's sensei and it had made him angry how she had gone behind his back. Jinx was one of his best ninjas, he trusted her with his life, she was his cousin, and yet there were times when she irritated him to no end. In some respects she acted like Scarlet, who always tried to play the 'women equal to men' card when she wanted her own way. Jinx had not completely forgotten her Japanese upbringing in respecting the differences between men and women but sometimes the Western influence sparked a feminist philosophy within her that always left sore heads in its wake but after its passing she always made her apologies. Women: who could understand them?

Snake Eyes turned his head slightly to look at Fire Storm. His brother had come a long way and even though his journey back to recovery was far from over Snake Eyes felt that now might be the time to give his brother a focus for his energy.

Snake Eyes signaled to Jinx to watch the students, even though he was upset at her recent behavior Jinx was still his right hand man-eh, woman- and until she really stepped over the line she would remain so. Snake Eyes got up and left the cafeteria, hoping another disaster like last week would not happen.

As soon as Snake Eyes was gone Roadblock, who had finished in the kitchen, brought his meal over to the ninja table. "Is this spot taken?" he asked and Fire Storm looked up when he realized that _he_ was being addressed.

"Uh, no, it's not," Fire Storm finally managed to say, his mind reeling back to his last encounter with Roadblock. Luckily his voice, thanks to his throat receiving treatment all week from Snake Eyes and a doctor, was clear and no longer hoarse sounding. Fire Storm was surprised when Roadblock smiled and sat down beside him. "How're things, Kamakura? Tiger Claw?"

Fire Storm sat at the edge of his seat, watching Roadblock for any signs of attack. He was aware both Kamakura and Tiger Claw were trying to keep their voices natural as they answered Roadblock's question but they were also tense.

"You settlin' in?" Roadblock turned to him and Fire Storm nearly choked on his water. He saw Roadblock briefly scan his Cobra tattoos before looking the ninja in the eye.

"Yes," Fire Storm answered, "Yes, I am."

Roadblock opened his mouth to speak again but the voice Fire Storm heard definitely did not belong to the big black man. "Mind if I join you, Jinx?" The ninjas turned to see Scarlet standing expectantly by their table, she looked at Jinx, a friendly smile on her face, but the red ninja merely gestured to the seat across from her without a word.

Scarlet sat down, only a few inches away from Fire Storm, and turned to him with her friendly smile still in place. "Hi, I'm Scarlet and you must be Fire Storm. We haven't been briefed yet but I wanted to thank you right now for the valuable intel you've provided."

The ninjas at the table, including Fire Storm, stared at her blankly.

"Intel?" Jinx asked, her foul mood disappearing in the wave of confusion. "What intel?"

Scarlet smiled, "Oh, has he not been debriefed yet? I knew they would give him a couple of days but I didn't think they would give him a week. That explains why we haven't been briefed on the intel he gave General Hawk because he hasn't given it yet." Scarlet turned back to Fire Storm, "Don't leave anything out when he questions you, anything you've seen or heard will be valuable against Cobra I'm sure."

Realization dawned on the ninjas as a whole and they looked at Roadblock, who, by his expression, expected the same thing as Scarlet.

Jinx squared her shoulders and cleared her throat to get the two Joes' attention. "Fire Storm has not given intel to General Hawk because there is no intel to give. There is no intel to give because Fire Storm is not a defecting Cobra agent."

"But—" Scarlet started to say.

"You should have your facts straight before you speak, Scarlet," Jinx cut her off, realizing as she spoke that her own words mocked her conduct over the past week. "Fire Storm is Snake Eyes' younger brother, he is not a Cobra agent and never has been."

Scarlet raised a hand to point at Fire Storm's tattooed cheeks, her finger a centimeter from actually touching the ninja's face and Fire Storm locked his eyes on that finger. "But his tattoos!"

Fire Storm heard Kamakura and Tiger Claw snort as quietly as they could, yes they would find it funny that someone assumed exactly what they had assumed a week ago. Enough had been said on his behalf by his cousin, "The Cobra held me captive for several years and did everything they could to humiliate me. Tattooing my skin with the very symbol tormentors was just one of many tools they used to torture me. I was ten years old when they did it and wide awake" —he saw his fellow ninjas wince in sympathy —"I can still hear them laughing as they found my screams amusing. After suffering that and the other tortures they devised to hurt me with do you think I would become one of them? What knowledge I know of the Cobra has become outdated as I have not been their hands for many years now.

The table was silent and soon the surrounding tables fell silent as well until the whole cafeteria could have been mistaken for a graveyard. Scarlet's face was a dark red as she blushed over her blunder but she did not get a chance to apologize because a shadow was suddenly by their table.

Fire Storm looked up at Snake Eyes and his brother beckoned him to follow.

They watched him, every day they watched from when he woke to when he slept and probably when he slept as well. He would have been confused by such security had his mind been completely erased but it had not been, it had been painful, keeping many of his memories from being erased, but he had done it. Unfortunately he had not been able to hold onto as much as he would have wanted and so most of what he had held onto was jumbled.

Storm Shadow sighed mentally as he followed Cobra Commander. He needed to get a mission, he needed to get out of here, and he needed to find Fire Storm. Storm Shadow closed his eyes briefly, the brainwashed part of his mind drummed achingly the same mantra over and over again. _Loyalty to Cobra! Nothing else exists! Service to Cobra! No questions! Obey the Cobra!_ If it were not for the memories he would be nothing but a mindless machine with one task: obey the will of Cobra Commander.


	23. Chapter 23

'_You have proven yourself well this week, little brother_,' Snake Eyes signed to Fire Storm. '_It is time that we talk of what is to happen_.' Fire Storm nodded as the brothers sat the training dojo. '_I must also explain my own actions. I know your state was fragile when we arrived here but I could not go easy on you, as I would have wished. Your trust and emotions were poorly managed but I could not take the time to help you build them stronger. You had to overcome these obstacles on your own. That is why I put you with Kamakura, knowing his distrust and your dislike with him would test you, this is also why I did not tell Jinx who you really were. She hates being kept in the dark and her anger clouds her judgment, making her another obstacle for you to overcome. Your infractions I dealt with as strictly as possible for two reasons: to show you authority and a lesson in patience. Hence the grounding and constant pairing with Kamakura. I did all of this to help you because you must be as strong in mind as you are in body. For the mission I have planned your bodily strength, your emotions, and your intellect will be challenged beyond anything you have encountered so far. In all that I have set before you you have overcome but now there is one more obstacle to master before you are ready for this mission_.'

"What obstacle, brother?" Fire Storm asked, his mind reeling as he took in all Snake Eyes had revealed.

'_You have come far, little brother, but certain instances still cause you to have flashbacks, which then control your responses. To control these responses you must control the flashbacks, to control the flashbacks you must come to terms with your past_.' Fire Storm's eyes narrowed and his breathing grew harsher as he looked away from Snake Eyes. '_You see? Even now, at simply mentioning your past, you react without a thought. This reaction has become ingrained in you, you are so bitter towards your past that you will not allow yourself to remember your happy memories. You must push yourself to let go and come to terms with what happened but there is only one way to do it_.'

"What is it?" Fire Storm asked harshly.

'_You must visit your past, travel down memory lane to confront the darkness that clutches your mind. Do not be afraid because I will go with you, I will be there to offer you strength and help guide you in coming to terms with your darker memories_.'

Fire Storm turned his head away, fighting for control over his breathing as he considered what his brother was offering him. He knew that his mind was a prisoner to his past, being constantly plagued by flashbacks from even the smallest occurrence. Snake Eyes was offering him freedom from that but it meant reviewing the horrible years when he was a prisoner to Cobra and the street gang. Fire Storm turned back to Snake Eyes, his eyes blazing once more with the fire his older brother remembered. Fire Storm drew in a deep breath before letting it out; he would be a prisoner no more.

"Help me."

Snake Eyes stretched forth his hands, palms up and open, and Fire Storm stared at them before placing his own hands into those of his brother. Snake Eyes bowed his head and Fire Storm followed suite, he closed his eyes and listened as his brother's breathing evened out to a quiet hum and Fire Storm mimicked his actions.

Breathing in and out until all his body functions had slowed down, Fire Storm's mind slipped into the state between consciousness and sleeping, a state where the mind is apart from the body and in complete control. Fire Storm was surrounded by a warm, blue fog and found himself losing the fear that had clutched him in trying to face his past.

"Fire Storm?" Fire Storm jerked and looked around but could not see anyone. "Brother, calm down, look behind you."

Fire Storm turned and there he saw a blonde haired man with blue eyes. "Snake Eyes? Your face, your voice, how?"

"This is the mind, little brother, your body's scars will not show here." Snake Eyes handed him a mirror and Fire Storm looked into it, gasping when he saw that the Cobra symbols were gone from his cheeks as well as the other scars. "Come," Snake Eyes gestured with his hand, "let us start."

"Do…do we have to?" Fire Storm asked, just noticing the door that had appeared out of the fog.

"It is your choice, Fire Storm, it is always your choice."

Fire Storm took in an unnecessary breath and walked to the door, "Let's go then."

Together they opened the door and fire Storm gazed apprehensively into the darkness. He could just make out a staircase descending and he could hear the wind whistling, as it would up a tower. He shivered and turned to Snake Eyes, "My mind is creepy."

Snake Eyes smiled as he placed a hand on Fire Storm's shoulder, "I'm right here."

"Right," Fire Storm took a tentative step downwards and Snake Eyes followed. They were surrounded by the darkness for only a moment before it cleared away and they saw the fortress of the Arashikage clan.

"This is where your darkness begins, this is where you must begin to accept your past."


	24. Chapter 24

**AN: Sorry for the long wait but look at this way, it's a three page chapter, be happy. That is until you get to the end(insert evil laugh here)**

Fire Storm narrowed his eyes as he watched a man, shrouded in dark clothes, place a small bundle before the doors of the Arashikage clan before departing quickly. "Why here?" He asked, as the door opened and a young Storm Shadow appeared, looking down at the bundle with, at first, a look of contempt and then his features softened to acceptance.

"This is where it begins, Fire Storm. I suspect that while you accepted us as your family you never forgave your original family for abandoning you. The unknown reason why you were left on our doorstep plagues you, do you know why?"

Fire Storm blinked and looked at Snake Eyes, "I have no idea."

Snake Eyes shook his head, "No, you do, but you are not facing it."

Fire Storm looked back to watch his younger self being held by Storm Shadow, who brought the little boy to the Hard Master. "I suppose I don't like the fact that I was abandoned?" It came out as a question so Snake Eyes nodded, waiting for his brother to say more. "I mean," Fire Storm sighed, replaying the scene of him being let by the shadowy figure, "I was unwanted, wasn't I? That's why someone left me in the cold outside the fortress with nothing but a thin blanket. Someone didn't want me. Why? Was my birth an accident? Did my parents die? Did my mother die and my father hate me? I have no means in finding the answers to these questions and so I never will know the truth."

"No, no you won't, but since you cannot find peace through the truth you can find peace another way." Fire Storm looked at Snake Eyes and the older smiled. "You are looking at the situation as an abandoned child, who is starving for knowledge about his parents but you can look at this another way. Do you know how?"

Fire Storm looked back to watch how the Hard Master bundled his younger self into a warmer blanket and helped him eat a bowl of hot rice. Storm Shadow and the younger Snake Eyes were sitting around their father, both of them looking at the new addition to their family with acceptance.

"I…I suppose I can think of it in another way. If I had not been left at the fortress then I would not have met you or Storm Shadow or the Hard Master. In fact, I could have been abandoned anywhere: on the street, at an orphanage, dumped in the river but I wasn't."

"And therein lies one of the answers you seek, brother." Fire Storm looked at Snake Eyes questioningly, "If the person who left you at our door didn't care for you then that person would have dumped you somewhere where you being cared for was not a guarantee."

Fire Storm mulled that over in his mind, "Yeah, I guess you're right. Perhaps that person was unable to look after me anymore? There's a whole case of scenarios on why that would be but because I was left at the fortress I met all of you and was welcomed into a family that could take care of me." Fire Storm drew in a breath,  
>I am glad I met all of you, including Jinx, and that we became a family."<p>

Suddenly Fire Storm felt something lighten within himself. The memory appeared less dark and with it Fire Storm felt the rest of his dark memories cease to weigh so heavily on his mind.

"What?"

"Remember Fire Storm that this memory was the root of the darkness within you. By accepting what happened you have also lessened the burden of your other memories."

"So, we're done?"

Snake Eyes laughed, "Not even close I would imagine but we have made progress. Now, lead us to the next memory."

Fire Storm sighed and closed his eyes, feeling a shift around him as the temperature warmed considerably around them. Fire Storm opened his eyes to see the burning of the Arashikage fortress and the Cobra troops slaughtering or capturing the ninja clan's members. Together the brothers watched as the eight-year-old Fire Storm was captured and taken away to the Cobra base. Fire Storm wished that he could look away, that he could close his eyes and not see what was happening but this was his memory and he knew how it began and ended.

Snake Eyes watched the brutal treatment inflicted on his little brother by the Cobra troops and did his best to remain calm, for the sake of Fire Storm and to keep the mind connection open.

"Well, o wise brother," Fire Storm spat, angry at how he was treated and that his brother was seeing it all, every grizzly detail. "What do I have to do here?"

"Remain calm for one," Snake Eyes replied. "None of this," he gestured at the memory, "was something you could have prevented Fire Storm." His brother looked at him in disbelief. "You were a child, Fire Storm, is there any possible way that an eight-year-old child could have fought off three heavily armed Cobra troopers?" Fire Storm opened his mouth and then closed it with a snap. "I thought not. What they did to you was horrendous, little brother, there is no denying that but your body has healed and it is time to let your mind heal as well. This will always be with you, you will always have these memories but you must not allow them to haunt you."

"Easy for you to say."

Snake Eyes nodded, "You're right, it is easy for me to say. It's easy for me because I haven't experienced anything as close to what you have. I didn't see my father killed in front of me, I didn't feel betrayed by Storm Shadow, I did not grieve for you, I did not suffer pain at how our family was sundered apart, and I did not feel an empty pit inside myself for the past ten years because I thought I had lost both my brothers. You're right, it's easy for me to say."

Fire Storm looked at Snake Eyes and then looked away in shame, "I am sorry."

"Do you know why you're sorry?"

Fire Storm scrunched up his nose, he hated how Snake Eyes wanted him to look into everything he said; perhaps it would be better if he became mute as well. "I am sorry because I have realized something. You had to slap me in the face but I did realize it. It's not all about me, I've got issues but I'm not the only one who does and I'm not the only person who's experienced what I have. Other people have walked away from this and I can be just as strong as them."

"You won't be alone, Fire Storm, your family is here with you."

Fire Storm sighed and closed his eyes, pulling himself away and when he opened his eyes he was sitting once again in front of Snake Eyes, "Not all of them."

Snake Eyes looked up from his spot on the floor and reached out a hand to Fire Storm, who accepted it gladly.

Fire Storm drew in a deep breath, "You never said what mission you're preparing me for."

Snake Eyes withdrew his hand so that he could form the signs; Fire Storm missed the sound of his voice in his head already. '_We are going to make our family whole_.'

"You mean—"

'_Yes, we are going to rescue Storm Shadow_.'

The End.

To Be Continued…?


End file.
